Vladimir Krikunov, the former head coach of the Russian national team, shared his thoughts ahead of the Gagarin Cup final series between Lokomotiv and Ak Bars.
“What are the main strengths of Lokomotiv and Ak Bars?” Krikunov was asked. “Lokomotiv is a systematic team, very balanced across all lines—from the goalie to the forwards. Everything is clear, stable, and fine-tuned to the smallest detail. In my opinion, Hartley slightly restructured the team after Nikitin: Igor paid a lot of attention to defense. I wouldn’t say it was completely closed hockey, but Lokomotiv looked organized, conceded little, and always scored their chances. Ak Bars has started playing very consistently, scoring a lot, and showing good productivity. Yet they can also win 1-0. Kazan is a hardened fighter in the playoffs. Plus, let’s not forget that Zinetula Bilyaletdinov is an advisor—an experienced person who helps and advises the coaching staff. Ak Bars now plays like they did under Bilyaletdinov. True, they don’t have a line or players like Zinoviev, Morozov, Zaripov, or Kapanen to dominate on the power play. But now all four lines of Kazan can score. You never know where danger will come from. It will be a very interesting series!” Krikunov said.
