Coach Benoit Gru Discusses Logan Days Concerning Mistakes After Traktors Victory

The head coach of Traktor, Benoit Groulx, commented on the performance of defenseman Logan Day after their victory in the Gagarin Cup playoff match against Admiral (7-3, series tied 2-2).

**»What needs to happen for Logan Day to improve his form?»**
— Logan’s mindset is the same as that of all the other players. He’s here to fight and win. Today, there were 10 goals scored. It’s a game of mistakes. He underestimated the speed of the puck. We expect a lot from every player, not just Logan. He’s a fighter and a valuable asset to our team. He’s the first one who wants to perform better, and he will. In the playoffs, things don’t always go as you hope. The road to victories is tough for all teams. I have complete confidence in Logan. His past playoff achievements are impressive, two consecutive Calder Cups. Winning in the AHL is just as challenging as in the KHL.

**»Do you want to discuss other defensemen with me?»**
— Telgin, Koromyslov, Blazhievskiy, Camper, Dronov — all our defensemen performed excellently, especially while shorthanded.

**»Do you think winning this series will be tougher than securing gold at the World Junior Championship with Canada?»**
— Those are completely different scenarios. This is my 11th year in professional hockey. The pressure I felt during the World Juniors was the highest of my career. We played in Toronto and Montreal. We hadn’t won gold in five years and then we succeeded. There was a lot of pressure on us, but we prevailed. And now, I’m left with less hair!

**»Are you concerned about potentially having a fate similar to Salavat’s in Vladivostok?»**
— I’ve been coaching for 25 years, and I’ve felt anxious for all 25 of those years. I always get nervous, whether it’s the first or last match of the season. Inside, there are nerves. But once the game starts, those feelings fade away.

**»Was the second period nearly perfect?»**
— I need to review it again. In terms of goals, yes, it was great. But perfect? I’m not fond of that term. Maybe. We did a lot of good things, but nothing is perfect, — relayed Groulx’s words by Championship correspondent Dmitry Storozhev.