Egor Surin, forward for Lokomotiv, shared his thoughts on the team’s 3-1 win over Ak Bars in Game 1 of the Gagarin Cup final series (1-0 series lead).
– It seemed like Lokomotiv played calmly and without much emotion in this match. Why is that?
– That happens sometimes. After an emotional series against Avangard, we needed to recharge a bit. But we have to find those emotions—this is the final after all. We need to perform with even more energy.
– Was it important to start the final with a win?
– The main thing is to win four games. The goal remains the same. We kept in mind that we needed to start the series with a win. We understood it’s better to gain an advantage early, then continue in the same spirit and build on our game.
– Lokomotiv has now won five consecutive Gagarin Cup finals. What’s the secret?
– We just don’t like stepping on the same rake twice. We want to avoid putting ourselves in situations where it’s hard to get out.
– Have you had any verbal exchanges with Artem Galimov during the game?
– No, I think the game went well. There were no such moments that required escalating things further. Those situations aren’t needed right now.
– But it was noticeable that Lokomotiv targeted former player Grigory Denisenko.
– Probably both our players and him were looking for emotions. Good scraps in the final are normal. I don’t think there was any specific focus on Denisenko. He’s just an Ak Bars player facing a Lokomotiv player, that’s all, said Surin.
