"The defense of the Locomotive could not be overcome"

In the current first round of the KHL playoffs, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod finished first. Igor Larionov's team lost a series 0-4 to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and is now going on vacation. In an interview with Izvestia, Torpedo defender Vyacheslav Voynov explained why it was not possible to impose a fight on the railwaymen, appreciated the atmosphere in the team and shared his impressions of life in Nizhny Novgorod.

— Were there any chances to get caught up in this series and force Lokomotiv to fight in it?

— There were always chances. We all know that Lokomotiv plays very well defensively and has had a very stable season. But every match was like a new one for us. We tried to find ways to their gates. Unfortunately, we were unable to overcome their defenses and create chances that could be implemented.

— How would you rate the chances of Lokomotiv winning the Gagarin Cup?

— I would not like to evaluate their game and chances. Time will show. The team is very strong and disciplined. You can see her game strategy, what she wants and does. Therefore, we will look further.

Lokomotiv's move: Yaroslavl were the first to win the Gagarin Cup series

The Railwaymen are going to the second round, and the fight continues in the remaining KHL playoff pairs.

— Do you have an understanding of how to open this defense of the "Locomotive"?

— How to open this defense?

— I don't know.

— And I do not know. Therefore, I repeat, every game we tried to find new combinations, new rolls, throws, outliers. The three of us, the five of us, tried to roll up. But we couldn't do it.

— In the last two seasons, Torpedo performed much better in the regular season, finishing first in fourth and then in seventh place in the Western Conference. As a result, they advanced to the second round in the first case, and won one match in the series against SKA in the second. Doesn't it feel like by finishing eighth this year, the team initially put itself in too difficult a position?

— Of course, this is also one of the reasons. But I don't want to look back now and see what could have been done better or worse. If we had finished the regular season higher, we would have joined another team... But then again, all this is a series of "maybe" and "maybe not." You can start on September 1, win every match, and at the end see who you've reached the playoffs against. Unfortunately, we have reached the "Locomotive" — the result is known.

— Did you like Torpedo this season in terms of the team and the coaching staff?

— The team is excellent. The atmosphere in the team is super positive. Coming to work was a pleasure every day. It was a pleasure to train and play. That's why this season will stay in my heart — everything is great.

"Every match of the series with Torpedo was tense in its own way"

Lokomotiv hockey player Georgy Ivanov talks about reaching the second round of the KHL playoffs, Alexander Ovechkin's upcoming record and a possible trip to Vladivostok

— How do you like Nizhny Novgorod after Chelyabinsk, Los Angeles, St. Petersburg and Moscow?

— It would not be good to compare cities with each other. Nizhny Novgorod is a great city with a great center, a great history, and great fans who have been with us all the time. Thank them for that.

— Your contract with Torpedo is about to expire. What are your future career plans?

— There are no plans, I can't say yet.