Translated material
Seventeen hours for victory
The first matches of the Kontinental Hockey League were played
The Kontinental Hockey League championship started yesterday. There were some problems. For example, newcomers to the tournament found it difficult to reach their destination. In addition, one title was up for grabs. Salavat Yulaev and Lokomotiv met in Ufa, fighting for the Opening Cup. Last year's champion won.In all arenas of the country, the opening ceremony of matches was the same and familiar. This is how they started the season twenty years ago, and this is how they are starting in 2008, although the current tournament should be different from others. Speeches were read, words were spoken. In Khabarovsk, the governor took to the ice and set the task for the Amur players to be at least in the playoffs. The 2:4 defeat to Dinamo Riga was very untimely.
By the way, it’s strange that the people of Riga took to the ice at all. It took them 17 hours to get to the meeting place. “We have to fly so much from Riga to Australia,” the team players said embarrassedly. “And here it took so long to get to the league participant.” However, after the game, none of the Dynamo players even remembered fatigue. Everyone was happy. Interestingly, the management of the Latvian club set the team the task of bringing at least three points from the Far Eastern tour. And the plan was carried out in the first match.
The entire top of the league, headed by its president Alexander Medvedev, plus the president of the Russian Hockey Federation Vladislav Tretyak and the head of Rossport Vyacheslav Fetisov, came to Ufa, where Salavat Yulaev and Lokomotiv opened the season. Before the game they gave a press conference, at which the head of the KHL again made a remarkable confession. “The NHL has its shortcomings,” he said. - For example, everything is too exaggerated. Teams play a lot of matches - 82. Because of this, the level of the regular season and playoffs is very different.”
Vyacheslav Fetisov a minute later came to the Americans’ defense. “Everything in the NHL is thought out and polished,” he said. “And we need to take all the best overseas and bring it to us.” Then the league will be interesting. In general, we are all striving for one goal - to win the Olympics in Sochi. The hockey team should be the champion there. I think the KHL will help us do this.”
It was immediately noted that compromises with the National Hockey League are excluded for now. Russian clubs are not going to restrain themselves, and if there is an opportunity to lure a player from America with a valid contract, they will certainly do so. “If we don’t respect ourselves, then no one will respect us,” Fetisov noted. — At the KHL Board of Trustees, we discussed this issue a lot and decided that the parties should have equal conditions. If America treats us as it wants, then we won’t adhere to the rules.”
Bob Goodenow, the former head of the National Hockey League and now helping the KHL pass the necessary laws, also came to Ufa to see how the Russian league was changing. It is unlikely that the North American was impressed by the game, but he highly appreciated what had been done in our country for the development of hockey. “I understand perfectly well that there are a lot of dissatisfied people now,” he said before the match. - But it is important that the right steps have been taken for development in your country. Not everything works out perfectly, and it doesn’t happen that everything will get better overnight. Progressive movement is important. The NHL also did not immediately become a prosperous organization.” Bob promised that in a year or two Russian hockey would become a truly serious force.
One of the heroes of the “war” between the KHL and the NHL, Salavat Yulaev forward Alexander Radulov took the ice in the game against Lokomotiv and played well, earning a point for performance. Although it was clear that the forward, who changed the state of Tennessee to Bashkiria, had not yet adapted, and there was no special mutual understanding with his partners. But it is obvious to everyone that in a month or two, by the playoffs, he will understand the demands of Sergei Mikhalev. “I’m happy that the team won,” Radulov said. - My personal statistics are in the background. If I score and the team loses, it won’t bring joy. But I’m sure there will still be goals.” Nobody expected any other words from the former NHL player.
The main event of the game was the goal missed by Lokomotiv goalkeeper Sergei Zvyagin. Miroslav Blatyak didn't even shoot on target, he was simply trying to move the game into the opponent's zone. But the puck bounced in front of the goalkeeper and ended up in the net. The hosts led with a score of 2:1, and then put the squeeze on their opponents - 4:1. “You shouldn’t blame the goalkeeper for the failure,” Loko forward Alexey Yashin defended Zvyagin. - Such accidents happen to everyone. We just didn’t do enough work somewhere, we didn’t run enough. We had to create and realize our chances.”