Vyacheslav Bykov: “All games at the Olympics should be played with passion” (Photo © sportbox.ru)
Russian coach Vyacheslav Bykov talked about the reasons of the loss to Slovakia, stated that not all players had passion, explained why Alexander Ovechkin had three shootout attempts and talked about power play units in an interview to the Russian site gazeta.ru.
RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation.
– Do you agree that only the Zaripov-Zinoviev-Morozov line displayed some teamwork?
Bykov: “You are not far from being right. We will try and find out why it happened. I don’t think that our players didn’t want it. It’s just that the opponent didn’t give us many opportunities. But I also should notice that a lot of players lacked passion and thirst for game. At the same time I agree that it wasn’t our day.”
– You experimented playing Ovechkin as the 4th forward on power play, tried this four times and then gave it up. You aren’t going to use it anymore?
Bykov: “Most likely not. We don’t want to allow goals on our power play. It’s very risky and our guys are not ready for it. The concentration should be very good and we lacked it today. But we will seek for new ways.”
– Are you going to shuffle the lines because some of them aren’t clicking?
Bykov: “Not now.”
– What shortcomings of the team did you find out?
Bykov: “The players had no passion. It looked like it was a regular game for them.”
– Ovechkin was turned on the whole game, made like five hits. Why weren’t other players pumped up?
Bykov: “Yes, Alexander was one of the players who tried to demonstrate their best during the whole game. Others were in shadow.”
– Are you going to change the preparation for the game against the Czech Republic?
Bykov: “We have a plan and we are not going to change it.”
– Why did Ovechkin have so many attempts in the shootout? He isn’t very good at it in the NHL.
Bykov: “Because Ovechkin was one of the few who really fought. Besides it was his wish.”
– Are you satisfied with the defence?
Bykov: “Today we played better than in the first game against Latvia. We committed one error and it led to the goal.”
– Maybe it’s even better now when Russia drove themselves into a corner. To get a bye the team has to defeat the Czechs.
Bykov: “My opinion is that all games at the Olympics should be played with passion.”
– Canada lost points too.
Bykov: “That’s their problems.”
– Players complained about the bad food and the Games organization…
Bykov: “No, now they won’t say a thing. You have to understand that they have certain wishes, which we and the Russia Olympic Committee need to fulfill. The players live in good conditions, they have everything, the food is good. Besides, don’t forget that all teams live in the same conditions.”
I think that #27 needs to play……power play looks pathetic, kovalev would help a great deal…..
I doubt that our PP looks pathetic because of the players. They are good, they just don’t know what to do. And it’s up to the coaches to teach them.
Viktor Kozlov needed to play in the shootout. He has excellent shoot out moves and is one of the best breakaway players in the world. Ovechkin is an elite player but is not the shootout master Kozlov is. Datsyuk a second time or Semin were others that could have been used for the tie breaker of the shootout.
Pavel, I agree. But what can I say, it was up to Bykov. Hopefully Bykov will agree with us in case of another shootout