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Blog:
10 April 2008-The Playoffs are just around the corner More…
14 May 2008, №17524
P. Lysenkov
Team Russia Forward Sergei Fedorov: These aren't the Swiss--they're substitutes!
With a magnificent shot from eight meters out, Sergei Fedorov scored the game winning fourth goal in the match against Switzerland (5:3). After the game, Sergei didn't hang around in the mixed zone, but he did offer to talk to your Soviet Sport correspondent about Switzerland--our quarterfinal rivals--in the hotel Concorde immediately after dinner.
"THEY HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE ATTACK"
To tell the truth, my colleague Vitaly Slavin and I had made a plan of attack for this interview that would make Napoleon proud. We wanted to do a major interview with him based on questions from the Soviet era. Just for the fact alone that he is debuting in the World Championships at 38 years old makes him worthy enough to have sonnets composed about him.
Then Fedorov cruelly burst our bubble.
"Well, no, I'm only going to talk about the Swiss. If I start stirring up the past my brain will start running backwards. I have to look forward so I won't lose my concentration. The playoffs are just around the corner."
Sergei sat down at the table and placed a large glass of blueberries in front of him and started talking, popping a berry into his mouth after every question.
"I am very surprised that for the first two periods the Swiss stood in front of their blue line and didn't even think about coming on the attack. I've never seen anything like it," shrugged Fedorov "And then in the third period they formed up and starting attacking in earnest."
Maxim Sushinsky said that during the second period you told everyone in the locker room "This is it, the Swiss have started preparing for the quarterfinals. You can read them like a book".
"What I said was "These aren't the Swiss that we know. These are substitutes."
This is how you warned the guys against underestimating the Swiss?
"Basically, yes. I was worried that our opponent had something up their sleeve. I suggested "hey guys, let's give it to them. Let's play some hard-hitting hockey." But it turned out exactly the opposite."
Did your words reach the partners' ears?
"That has nothing to do with it. The guys didn't start playing hockey, but rather they were trying to pull off some moves--exiting the zone, neutral zone passes, one-on-one zone entrances... Actually, in games like this you can be a little artistic. The Swiss had totally given us the initiative... They wanted to catch us on the counter attacks. And maybe it will work? In the first two periods it didn't work. We drove the puck deeper into the zone and we didn't lose it."
Did you maybe think that the Swiss coach Ralph Krueger told his team before the third period "Ok, let's stop fooling around and play like it's the quarterfinals."?
"Exactly! The die was cast, and our thoughts started wandering... I think that the Swiss will play even better in the quarterfinals than they played in the third period. They will definitely kick it up a notch."
"WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL"
Team Russia had the unique opportunity to pick their opponent for the quarterfinals. Was it tempting to take advantage of this?
"Let's call a spade a spade. We are hockey players. We prepare for games. We want to win. That is all. How can you psych yourself up for a loss or a draw? "
But didn't the Swedes use just this advantage in the 2006 Olympics in Turin? And they won the gold.
"I don't know about Turin- I wasn't there. I can only say that I prepared for everything 100% for the game against Switzerland. I wanted to play it at a normal tempo. It doesn't matter who we play against in the playoffs. But as it turned out we will play the Swiss again. To be honest, it seemed to me that Switzerland was trying to choose their opponent. They intentionally gave us the initiative during the first two periods.
But what choice did they have?
"Either give it their all or conserve their energy. The Swiss chose the latter. They wanted to play us in the quarterfinals."
Isn't this embarrassing for Team Russia? Krueger thinks that it is easier to play against us than the Czechs or the Swedes?
"I don't think so. But we need to be careful."
"SUSHINSKY KNOWS THE GUYS BETTER"
Is our team showing their A-game now or are there some still some problems before the playoffs?
"I wouldn't say it is a problem, but tough games build teamwork, and we've had a few of these so far in Quebec. There are some technical details that still need to be worked out. For example, we need to play shorter but more intense shifts. This is where our potential lies."
Is Team Russia a different team without Morozov?
"What kind of question is that? It is very clear that Alexy is not only the captain of this team but a great player in his own line. I think that his line partners (Kovalchuk and Zinoviev) don't feel complete without him."
Why did Maksim Sushinsky get tapped for team captain and not you?
"To me that was the natural choice. Sushinsky knows the guys better. And besides, assistant captain and captain are almost the same thing."
Whose decision was this?
"The team coaches made the announcement before the game began."
Did they ask your opinion?
"No. But was it necessary?"
They didn't ask you anything before the World Championship? They just offered you the assistant position?
"They didn't offer it, but rather they announced who it would be at a team meeting. Everything was very clear, and there were no complaints."
"I'M NOT GOING TO PESTER THE COACHES"
You hammered in a beautiful game winning goal against Switzerland. Did you just make that up on the spot?
"I had several options for carrying out my attack. I spied Sasha Semin near the net, and I could still shoot for the pads of the goalkeeper, so Semin could get the rebound. But the Swiss center came at me really aggressively, I slammed on the brakes, feinted around him and took a shot. It just so happened that it went in."
Also in the third period, from the stands it seemed like when Switzerland went on the attack, our team got a little panicky.
"Panic is a harsh word. There was some confusion- we weren't thinking like a team, and this is understandable. The NHL players are used to playing in three lines, not four. Same with our defense- they are used to playing three pairs. Everyone is constantly moving."
"I personally talked with several NHL defensemen about this. I asked them "How do you feel? Everything seems to be moving slowly." And they answered me "We spend a lot of time on the bench cooling down, and that makes it rough for us."
"That is why there was some confusion in the game. This also applies to our forwards, who started playing longer shifts in the third period. Wanting to do too much was our downfall."
Are Vyacheslav Bykov and Igor Zakharin aware of these problems?
"I think so. Although I'm not the one to ask."
Maybe you could approach the coaches and tell them what you have told us?
"And why should I be giving them advice?"
Because you are the most experienced player on the team.
"I understand... If they ask me, I'll give my opinion. But I'm not going to pester the coaches and teach them how to play hockey. That wouldn't be right."
How is the Washington trio getting along? Semin, Ovechkin and Fedorov all had something to contribute in the game against the Swedes. And today you are bringing us a victory.
"I can't say that we sit together every day and draw up tactical plans of what we are going to do. But we do have our traditions. We have kept a little bit of our Washington game which has passed it's trial by fire."
"But we are paying attention to the particulars of the other teams we will play against. For example, in the game against Switzerland we will not just be simply dumping the puck. If the wingers get the puck on the far blue line, they will look to see to whom they can pass to. They won't simply dump and chase. The Swiss are technical players and tricks like that won't fly."
"I won't say that our lines will work like clockwork. There will still be some roughness around the edges. And I will not stop saying that it is extremely important to not make mistakes on the blue lines-- ours or theirs. That will be the lynchpin of the entire playoff."
What specifics about Switzerland's game will you be discussing with Ovechkin and Semin?
"I have to stress that I am not the only one taking the initiative. Either Sasha can come up to me. We will begin talking about tactics, in the hotel, in the locker room, on the bus. Wherever. We don't get obsessed, of course. But we do have these talks. And for sure we will figure out the Swiss."
"I WOULD FIGHT FOR MOROZOV"
What is your take on the episode in the game against Sweden when Morozov was injured?
"Murray didn't have to hit Morozov that hard, because he didn't have the puck. The refs understood that the Swede was playing dirty. Murray was ejected for misconduct, and that was that."
Would there have been a fight if this was the NHL?
"Absolutely. But the worst thing is that Murray doesn't act like this in the NHL."
If you had been in Kovalchuk's place, would you have fought the Swede?
"Of course, I would have dropped the gloves."
Really?
"Sure. Even though this is against the rules. On the other hand, Kovalchuck was suspended for the rest of the game."
But he didn't get a game penalty. He played against Switzerland.
"Hell, I didn't realize this detail," -Fedorov says with chagrin. "Although the refs, to their credit, did understand the situation and correctly threw Murray out."
We can't see a fighting Fedorov. When was the last time you dropped your gloves on the ice?
"A long time ago... But guys like Murray need to be put in their place."
Team Russia hasn't been able to win gold since 1993. And you are a playoff beast, having won three Stanley Cups. Your advice: what should we be aware of in these cup games?
"I can't say it in one word, " exhales Fedorov. "Let's not allow any lapses on the blue line. Avoid stupid turnovers. Let's start with this."
"It is important to keep moving the puck forward. Team speed is important. All of these little details I talked about in the interview. And strict discipline. Discipline always wins out over class."
Good goalkeeping. Converting power plays. Minimizing penalties.
"Everything you say is right on. All that remains is to turn the words into actions."
