Olympic champion Andrei Kovalenko shared his thoughts on Lokomotiv’s victory over Avangard in the Gagarin Cup semifinal series.
In the seventh game, the Omsk-based team lost 3–4 in the second overtime. The Yaroslavl side trailed 1–3 in the series but eventually won 4–3.
Lokomotiv will face Ak Bars in the final.
– Some believe that Yaroslavl turned things around thanks to a deep bench and trust in young players. Is that true?
– I disagree. Yaroslavl has an excellent hockey school, but this season, Lokomotiv didn’t open its doors wide to newcomers, and I can’t name any surprising debuts. Unlike previous years, when players like Surin and Kiryanov came through.
In my view, the decisive factor was Lokomotiv’s character. Yaroslavl simply wanted it more – especially in the closing moments of games, when they had to dig deep and play through pain.
– Where did that character come from?
– In my opinion, a lot of credit goes to Igor Nikita’s five-year tenure. His coaching staff established a solid system and laid a foundation for years to come. He took the best from his predecessor, Dmitry Kvartalnov, and integrated a large group of young players. Although Nikita didn’t succeed at first, the management showed patience, understanding the scale of the work.
As a result, Lokomotiv has reached the playoff finals for the third time in three years. Just look at the NHL counterparts of Yaroslavl – Florida and Edmonton – both had two consecutive finals appearances. This season, those teams couldn’t handle the load of playing 100 games per season and quickly bowed out.
But Lokomotiv is still in the race. That shows Nikita’s foundation holds the structure.
– Are you skeptical about the new coach, Bob Hartley?
– No, I give Hartley credit. He’s an experienced coach who has won both in the KHL and NHL. He saw there was no need to break anything – just follow the course. That’s a testament to his work and wisdom.
We’ll see how Hartley performs in the final against another Volga city, Kazan. The final is always a special series, unpredictable, with its own psychology. Naturally, I’ll be rooting for Lokomotiv, – Kovalenko said.
Kozhevnikov on Lokomotiv: ‘Nikita’s baggage. There’s nothing left from the coach – Hartley was lucky to land in a good atmosphere.’
Lokomotiv, Bob Hartley, KHL, Andrei Kovalenko, Igor Nikita, NHL, Edmonton, Dmitry Kvartalnov, Stanley Cup, Florida
