10 November 2023

Barys - Kunlun RS. Trainer's comments

After the match Barys – Kunlun Red Star (1:2) a press conference was held with the Head Trainers of both teams.

Viktors Ignatjevs, Kunlun Head Trainer

- First, I would like to congratulate the few Mytishchi fans on the victory. We don't see them here very often. As they say in Mytishchi: "I've been rooting for Kunlun since I was a kid!". The game, as expected, was absolutely equal, with a fair amount of scoring chances. Both teams could have been winners. We are very happy that we are the winners. We made an "backtoast": "Barys took two points from Mytishchi, and we took them from Astana.

- How did you manage to recover after the victory over Dynamo, considering the time difference?

- We skated here yesterday, rested today. I knew the movement would be good. I didn't know the result of the game, but I knew that movement-wise we definitely wouldn't concede. Now we've got all the injured ones back. We have all four viable threesomes. We changed a couple guys in the fourth line. We brought in "fresh blood" and these guys were on the ice when we scored the second goal. Our fourth unit did its job to the fullest. After what we had in early October - six games in nine days - we're not scared of anything anymore.

- Statistics say that you really "engaged" in the third period.

- There was nowhere to go in the third period. We realized that time was running out and we had to score. But both in the first and second period the movement was good.

Galym Mambetaliyev, Acting Barys Head Trainer

- The game was shaping up nicely at first. Then came unnecessary penalties: in the other team's zone, in our own zone. Seven penalties. In the end, we got scored on. It was discipline that failed. Before that, hardly any were penalized at all. Today it was probably considered to be penalized. The opponent punished us for that. Didn't score in the second period, missed in the third. That's the whole game.

- Three penalties for high stick. What's the cause?

- It's a sloppy game. Before that, we played carefully, didn't penalize. We have to ask the players. No matter how well we play in the short-handed, we still get hooked. Same ones come out. Therefore, the initiative immediately goes to the opponent. Somewhere there's a defect in the handoff, somewhere there's a defect in the execution. Somewhere didn't reach, didn't catch up, didn't draw the puck. Mistakes come from that.

- Despite the defeat, Pasquale is looking increasingly confident.

- Pasquale is looking good. He's coming into his own. A man of character. Our forwards need to help the puckstopper, score goals.

- When do we get to see the rookies?

- While they're getting ready. We think we'll try introducing them on the trip.