Avangard head coach Guy Boucher commented on his team’s defeat to Lokomotiv in the semifinals of this season’s Gagarin Cup. The series ended 4-3 in favor of the Yaroslavl side.
“I think emotions will subside, and then we can look back. We broke many records, and I’m glad to see how much our players have grown, both individually and as a team. We knew we had to improve, and we did that. Many newcomers joined the team, and everyone in the club worked tirelessly. Everyone wants to win, but you have to earn it through your work. We’ve been building this team from day one, but we need to keep pushing forward. There were many good stories this season, so I don’t want to dwell on this painful loss in the semifinals. You can’t just erase everything that came before. Sometimes we lacked luck, sometimes just a few centimeters, and literally four or five steps in certain moments that could have changed everything. But I’m already looking forward to the next season and what we’ll do. The bitterness of defeat is there, but I feel for the players who literally sacrificed themselves, played through pain and serious injuries, especially against such physical opponents. For next season, we need to strengthen the team with players who can handle the physical battle and stand up to opponents like Lokomotiv,” Boucher said, as reported by Championat correspondent Lev Lukin.
