"We have to work twice as hard to replace Kuznetsov."
SKA St. Petersburg hockey players are having a very difficult time this KHL season, with more than half of their games played. After losing away to CSKA Moscow 5-6, they found themselves in sixth place in the Western Conference. On the eve of the season, in the summer, the club made a major reinforcement, signing a whole group of stars, including Stanley Cup winner and two-time world champion Evgeny Kuznetsov, Olympic champion and three-time Gagarin Cup winner with CSKA Mikhail Grigorenko.
In an interview with Izvestia, Mikhail Grigorenko explained the reasons for the poor start and bright ending of the game against CSKA, explained how SKA was affected by Kuznetsov's serious injury, commented on his club's unstable season results and shared his impressions of the first games at the big arena in St. Petersburg.
- Why did SKA start badly against CSKA and almost saved the game at the end?
- The bad start was due to the fact that we made a lot of mistakes. We left our goalie to shoot, which resulted in a 0-5 score in the first period. At halftime we talked in the locker room, agreed that the second and third periods should be won regardless of the score. And as a result, in principle, the second and third periods were good, we played well. But hockey consists of 60 minutes, not 40.
- Has CSKA improved a lot compared to the October game against you, when you won 5-4 in overtime at home?
- The team is on the move. They got their ninth win in a row in the last game against us. It's clear that when a team wins game after game, it feels better, more confident. But they did a lot of things right against them in the second and third periods - we need to hold on to that in the future.
- At the end of last season, you, Sergei Plotnikov left CSKA, Konstantin Okulov left the other day, after which there were almost no players left who brought the club victories in the Gagarin Cup in 2019, 2022 and 2023. Do you feel from the outside now that your former team has started to play differently?
- I try to focus on our game, on SKA's game. I don't focus on the opponent and his players. If you look at their system... Again, the team has won nine games in a row - they're playing well.
- Did Evgeny Kuznetsov's severe injury in the second period motivate your team to try to save the game?
- Of course. When your leader gets injured, you want to play for him and turn the tide. Everyone realizes that you have to work twice as hard to try to replace him somehow.
- Judging by the words of SKA head coach Roman Rotenberg, Kuznetsov is out for a long time. How important is his role in the locker room and on the ice?
- Very important. He's a great guy with great leadership skills. Zhenya is truly the leader of the team both in the locker room and on the ice. It's a great luck for our team and for the KHL as a whole that the league has such a bright player and a bright personality.
- On the one hand, SKA, on the one hand, is not far behind the group of leaders, but on the other hand, it's already below Severstal, and Dinamo Minsk is not far behind you. Are you worried about the instability in the game and results in the middle of the season?
- We need to keep working. We lack complete matches. In principle, we play well in some places, but we can't transfer it to all 60 minutes yet. We need to play three periods more consistently.
- When you won your last two Gagarin Cups with CSKA, the results in the regular season were not very good by the end of December either. Can we draw a parallel with the current SKA and expect you to approach the playoffs at the maximum of your abilities?
- Again, we play very well in some places. That's why we need to play not in places, but for all 60 minutes. Show our best game all the time. We have everything for this - a good team, a good coaching staff, all the conditions are created for us. So we need to keep working, and everything will be fine.
- You recently traveled to the Russian national team for the First Channel Cup in St. Petersburg and played for the first time at the big SKA Arena, where SKA hockey club has now returned. What are your impressions of it?
- It's a gorgeous arena. A very grandiose place - the biggest hockey arena in the world. Inside everything is organized at the highest level. The stands are full at all the games - it's just a pleasure to play.
- In the NHL you had time to play in Montreal at the famous Bell Center arena, the largest in North America. Does SKA Arena have any similarities with it?
- Both arenas are great. The only difference is that the one in St. Petersburg is bigger - it can hold a little more spectators (smiles). And it's great that both are filled to capacity.
- Many SKA players have repeatedly noted that the atmosphere at the old 12,000-seat Ice Palace is noisier and they like it better. Can you compare it to the 21,000-seat SKA Arena?
- The Ice Palace is also a good arena. I played there with pleasure the first half of this season. But more fans can come to the new arena, that's why this project is great.
-How will you celebrate the New Year?
- Quietly, in the family circle. I'll try to gain strength and perform well in the second half of the season.
-The calendar of hockey players does not allow you to abuse food and alcohol even on such a holiday?
- Of course, being a professional athlete, you realize that you have a lot of games ahead of you. That's why you need to be disciplined.
