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11/11 Rest of Semin Interview...More…
11/9 Boudreau on OV's Slump...More…
11/9 OV Interview after Rangers Game...More…
11/5 Entire Semin Interview!...More…
11/3 The Dzagoev Dialectic...More…
10/31 Fedorov Interview...More…
10/30 Semin and Kozlov...More…
10/20 Yet Another OV Q&A...More…
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10/17 Short OV Interview...More…
10/17 Feds Interview...More…
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9/18 Semin Interview...More…
9/16 Simeon Varlamov in America...More…
9/5 Morozov and the KHL...More…
9/3 OV behind bars?...More…
8/17 OV on Russian Game show...More…
8/12 OV in Beijing...More…
8/4 OV is in even better shape than last year...More…
7/28 Jagr and OV talk...More…
7/27 Kapitanov--OV doesn't even take vitamins...More…
7/25 OV can't get to his seat...More…
7/22 OV parties in Moscow...More…
7/23 OV Going to Beijing...More…
6-3 OV the Superman...More…
5-27 Don Cherry loves OV...More…
5-30 OV interview in Pittsburgh..More…
5-13 Feds Interview...More…
5-12 OV Interview...More…
Odious Don Koharski killed us More…
Blog:
10 April 2008-The Playoffs are just around the corner More…
24 April 2008 No 17511
D. Chesnokov
Washington Forward Alexander Ovechkin: “I played the last two games on painkillers”
A correspondent for “Soviet Sport” talked with forwards Alexander Semin, Sergei Fedorov and Alexander Ovechkin after the game. All three confirmed they might play in the World Championships. But there are problems…
SEMIN: WE HAD WORSE OFFICIATING THAN IN RUSSIA!
-Sasha, you played great in the series, making 8 (3+5) points…
-What do you mean great? In the decisive game we gave it up 2-3, and one of the Flyer’s goals was made after I was taken out.
-And another one when a Philly player pushed you into your goaltender.
-Did you see what the officiating was like? Even worse than in Russia! It was totally biased. It’s not clear why… I was obviously pushed into the goalkeeper, but there was no whistle! Maybe there is something I don’t understand? In my opinion this was a cut-and-dried situation.
-How is your health?
-Everything is alright. No injuries.
-What are your plans?
-I don’t have any. There is a team meeting on Wednesday, and after that we’ll see…
-I’ll ask you straight out: What are your thoughts on the Russian National team?
-I don’t know right now. Nobody has phoned me or given me any details.
-But you are ready to play in the World Championships?
-I’m ready. I just have to rest a bit.
-Did you know that Bykov plans for you, Ovechkin and Fedorov to be in the same line?
-We’ll see. Why speculate? When the World Championship begins we will see who is playing with whom.
-But generally can you confirm that you will go to Quebec?
-I’m not going to answer that question. I’ll give an official answer after I talk with Bykov.
FEDOROV: I’D LIKE TO PLAY WITH MY BROTHER
-“I’ll play in the World Championship if team needs me”—Sergei Fedorov announced right off the bat.
-When Bykov came to see you in Washington, did he say in what line he envisioned you? First? Third?
-There wasn’t any conversation about this. Bykov did say, however, that he considered me, Semin and Ovechkin as team leaders.
-Would you like to play on the same line with your brother Fedor?
-Yea, I’d like to. But the interests of the team are first and foremost. I’ve had that drilled into me since childhood.
-I ask this because the line of Fedorov, Ovechkin and Semin which Bykov envisions seems doubtful to me, since Semin and Ovechkin are both left wingers. You haven’t played very much in a line like this while you’ve been in Washington. Fedor Fedorov, however, is a right winger and that’s why the combination of Ovechkin and the Fedorov brothers seems more logical to me.
-Fedya is not only a right winger. He can play anywhere, even at center if need be.
-He played as a right winger all season with Dynamo..
-I don’t know about that. I do know, however, that at the wing position…Let me emphasize that I don’t want to put any pressure on the team trainers via the press. They have enough experience to decide who is going to play together.
-It’s interesting that you have never played for the Russian National team in the World Championships.
-You’re right. It’s been a very long time since I played in the tournament. I think it was 1990. Yeah, at that time it was the USSR National team… But you gotta start sometime.
-So what are your plans?
-I’ll rest for a few days and get back to being myself after the playoffs. I’ll get in touch with the team trainers. Then we’ll see.
-Are you flying to Canada right away?
-I can’t say for sure right now.
OVECHKIN: HEALTH PROBLEMS
-Are you planning to play in the World Championships?-I ask Ovechkin.
-The game has just ended…I haven’t had a chance to think about that yet.
-When will you make your final decision?
-Later. I have to rest a few days.
-In what direction are you leaning?
-Of course to join the National team! I have some certain issues to take care of. I hope, though, that they won’t be a big deal.
-Personal issues?
-No, health issues. I played that last two games on painkillers.
-What exactly is wrong?
-I’m not going to say.
POTENTIAL PLAYERS FOR THE RUSSIAN NATIONAL TEAM FOR THE 2008 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
V. Nabokov (San Jose)
Z. Tyutin (Rangers)
F. Kovalev (Montreal)
F. Malkin, Z. Gonchar (Pittsburgh)
F. Datsyuk (Detroit)
Unrestricted:
F. Ovechkin, F. Federov, F. Semin (Washington)
F. Radulov (Nashville)
F. Brylin (New Jersey)
F. Nikulin, I. Zubov (Ottawa)
The series is played until four wins. Stanley Cup quarterfinals end May 7. The World Championships run from 2-18 May.
