Nikita Khoruzhev: «It was a really cool game for the fans»
25.11.2025
Neftekhimik forward Nikita Khoruzhev speaks with the media after a following 6–5 win over Avangard.
– It was a really cool game for the fans, and an emotional victory – it's really important for us right now!
– Tell us what happened in the first period?
– Frankly, we weren't ready for the game, we were losing the fight and the pace, and there were huge issues everywhere. So we'll need to analyze that period.
– What did the coaching staff say during first intermission?
– They told us to wake up and start posses the puck, not be afraid to go forward, not to dribble the puck backwards – those kinds of things.
– What got the team so fired up?
– I think it was the the fights and everything in between. It was an emotional game. There were a lot of factors involved.
– Discipline let us down a bit: four of five conceded goals were conceded during pk/ What can we do about that?
– We need to watch the video and analyze it. Basically, the goals were like that: some were positional mistakes, others were down to the opponent's skill. Well, we need to play more strictly in defense!
– Tell us what happened in the first period?
– Frankly, we weren't ready for the game, we were losing the fight and the pace, and there were huge issues everywhere. So we'll need to analyze that period.
– What did the coaching staff say during first intermission?
– They told us to wake up and start posses the puck, not be afraid to go forward, not to dribble the puck backwards – those kinds of things.
– What got the team so fired up?
– I think it was the the fights and everything in between. It was an emotional game. There were a lot of factors involved.
– Discipline let us down a bit: four of five conceded goals were conceded during pk/ What can we do about that?
– We need to watch the video and analyze it. Basically, the goals were like that: some were positional mistakes, others were down to the opponent's skill. Well, we need to play more strictly in defense!
