ALBERT YARULLIN: "WE SET THIS LEVEL AND SHOULD KEEP IT"

Young Ak Bars defenseman scored his first points in the KHL.

– Are you happy with your first scored point for Ak Bars?

– Yes, of course. But my partners did everything, I only had to make a shot and then they deflected the puck.

– At a first look puck didn't change the direction.

– No, I saw it deflected.

– Was it hard to motivate yourself after the game against Metallurg?

– We had a seioud preparation for today. We understood that opponents are not the strongest but diffucult and they try to get points in every game. It is always hard to play against such teams.

– The beginning was hard for Ak Bars, you couldn't score. Why?

– I don't know, maybe we were overmotivated, we wanted to use all chances, to create sure combinations. We should shot oftenly instead. Our first powerplay was almost shotless. But then we started to shot we started to score.

– What did coach said after the firtst period?

– He showed us how to play, mostly in defenive zone and asked to shot more and screen the goalie.

– Next game is against Dynamo. Do you have special plans for Ovechkin?

– We will know it on the meeting. We will do what coach says.

– Now many NHL stars came to Russia, is it interesting to play against them for you?

– Of course it is a pleasure to play. But I think we have enough of our stars in our team.

– Which forwards you afraid of as a defenseman?

– No one from previous teams. But I think that Datsyuk is very difficult opponent. He can deke or show not standard things, he has amazing hands and he is a legend.

– Not so much fans came for the game today. Does it make influence on the team?

– It is pity, of course, that when Metallurg came we had full attendance and today not. But we will try to show so good hockey every time so they will be interested to visit our games.

– The start of the season is successful. The team became confident with its stregth?

– Yes. We understand that we are leaders and all teams are seriously motivated against us. We set this level and should keep it.