Evgeny Mityakin: «That is exactly what preseason is for»
26.08.2026
Neftekhimik forward Evgeny Mityakin speaks with the media after a following 2–4 loss against Lokomotiv.
– That was a solid game, typical summer hockey you can say. We did not get the win because we did not bury our chances, and we gave up goals off our own mistakes. Lesson learned – we take it and move on.In the second period, Lokomotiv caught us flat on a few line changes, and we got stuck in some tough shifts where the legs got heavy. That is going to happen in the regular season too – moments when you have to dig in and make the right play. That is exactly what preseason is for: working through that grind.
Right now, every team is at a different stage of fitness. Camps are still rolling, no one is letting up yet – the opener is still two weeks out. Whoever is across the ice, we stick to our identity. We are polishing old systems and installing new ones. It is not about the opponent – it is about us. How we play, what we execute – that is all that counts.
