"We need to improve in everything — in power, in movement, in attack and in defense"

There are less than three weeks left until the end of the current KHL regular season draw. Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg became one of the leaders of the Eastern Conference, which is in third place, but only five points behind Traktor Chelyabinsk, which occupies the first line with one game in reserve. However, in the last two matches, Avtomobilist lost away to Metallurg Magnitogorsk (1:2) and Dynamo Moscow (1:4), missing the chances to catch up with the leader.

Nikolay Zavarukhin's team has seven games left until the end of the regular season. Meanwhile, on March 10, she will have her first match at the new UMMC Arena home stadium with a capacity of 12.5 thousand spectators.

In an interview with Izvestia, Avtomobilist striker Alexey Byvaltsev assessed the club's results, shared his expectations for the early start of the playoffs and his debut in the new arena, and also explained why he was not afraid of the possibility of getting into the first round of the Gagarin Cup at Vladivostok Admiral.

"I actually played three seasons in Khabarovsk — I'm already used to such trips"

— Not so long ago, your team came close to Traktor, the leader in the East. Why did they start misfiring at that moment?

— No team can always win. Yes, we lost the last two matches, but now it's better not to dwell on it too much. We just need to win the next meeting and move on calmly.

— Is it important for you to finish the regular season in first place in the conference? Or does it make no difference from which place to enter the playoffs?

- In principle, it doesn't matter. Because all our teams are strong. And even first place doesn't mean an easy walk in the first round. So leadership in the conference is not the main thing. Although I would still like to finish the regular season higher so that I can start the series at home in the playoffs. But there is no such thing that it is necessary to get ahead of the Tractor at any cost.

— Doesn't even the prospect of getting into the Admiral in the first round and possible flights to Vladivostok bother you?

— It doesn't bother you at all. There are no weak teams in the playoffs. That's why you have to play with any opponent. I'll have to fly to Vladivostok — that's okay. What should we do? Refuse and not fly there? Just play at home? (Smiles.)

— You can just take the first place in the East and not get to the Admiral in the first round. It's real, isn't it?

— It's real. But let's talk about it later. We'll see how things will be at the end of the regular season.

— But such long-distance trips really don't matter much?

— I actually played three seasons in Khabarovsk. And I'm already used to such trips. I know what it is. And everything is fine for me here. Yes, I'll have to spend a little more time on the plane and relax.

— What should I do during such flights?

— We need to sleep somewhere — we fly specially at night for such long trips so that we can spend most of the time on the plane sleeping.

"A new cool arena is waiting for us now"

— Have you seen the new home arena in Yekaterinburg yet?

— We skated there two weeks ago and practiced on the reserve ice. But we did not examine it in detail. We went in, took a quick look, nothing more. Now we will return to Yekaterinburg from the away series and we will constantly skate and play there. I haven't seen the arena thoroughly yet — I have my first impressions ahead of me in this regard. I didn't look at the main ice. I can't wait to practice on it and start playing. As for the exterior of the arena, I can say that it looks very chic. I want to feel the atmosphere inside the bowl as soon as possible during the KHL match, when the stands will be full.

— What was it like to say goodbye to the old Uralets stadium?

— It probably didn't capture me as emotionally. But the guys who have been at Avtomobilist for a long time are Tryamych (Nikita Tryamkin. — Ed.), Golysh (Anatoly Golyshev. — Ed.) — they saw me off in a special way. It was emotionally difficult for them. They played in this stadium almost all their lives. But we need to move on. A cool new arena is waiting for us now — now it can start bringing us great achievements and results.

— It's early March, and the KHL playoffs are usually underway at this time. Have you already adjusted to the current calendar, when there are still three weeks until the end of the regular season?

— There are no problems with this. The flow of games is so fast that you don't even realize that it's already March. Our traffic is normal. The home series is ahead — we need to add a lot during it.

— What more needs to be added to Avtomobilist before the start of the playoffs?

— In everything. In power, in motion. Offensively and defensively.

— But now do you feel that there are prerequisites to at least repeat last year's result with reaching the semifinals and being eliminated by the future winner Metallurg only in the seventh match?

— Of course there is. We have everything we need to succeed. We just need to prepare well for the playoffs, like a year ago.