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| Sergei Mozyakin: Captain Without Complexes |
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Sergei Mozyakin
Photo by: Yuri Kuzmin @ www.cska-hockey.ru
By Vladislav Domrachev (Soviet Sport)
Translated by Alexei Belousenko (RusHockey.com) & Eugene Belashchenko (RussianProspects.com)
CSKA forward Sergei Mozyakin is a man with no complexes. He agrees to give interviews without any hesitation, and talks to journalists very frankly. I've talked to Mozyakin many times, while his was on top and during his tough days when he was out of hockey for a long time because of injuries. But now is the best cause to talk to him because he is the top scorer and MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the Super League's first round.
ASSIGNED BY BYKOV
Sergei, congratulations! Did you expect such capability from yourself?
S. Mozyakin: Capability? It's simple, during this season our coach trusts me more than before. Perhaps, that's where it came from. While Viktor Tikhonov was the coach. I scored and assisted a lot.
However, there is one more circumstance that forced you to look at certain things differently'
S. Mozyakin: Yes, of course. This season I became the captain of the team.
Did you expect it?
S. Mozyakin: To be honest, no. During the summer my teammates were kidding: 'Let's make Mozyakin our captain'. Perhaps, coaches found out about these talks, and Bykov made the decision.
Being a captain commits you to certain things, right?
S. Mozyakin: I agree. Now I have to talk to teammates, coaches, team management a lot more than before'
And referees?
S. Mozyakin: (laughing) And them, too.
Would you have enough guts to come over to the team's management, and knock your fist on the table in order to solve some important question for the team?
S. Mozyakin: If it's needed, then I would go, and, as you said, knock with the fist.
During the game, would you yell at someone, too?
S. Mozyakin: All kinds of things happen in a game. Not only captains yell at each other. I'm no exclusion.
I know, your wife Yulia knows everything regarding what's going on in the team. How did she react about her husband's status change?
S. Mozyakin: Actually, she was shocked.
I remember, last season during a very important match against Dynamo Yulia with your son Andrei was late for the game. She came to the arena when CSKA was losing 0:2. And the first thing she asked:'Did Sergei's line miss any goals?' So, I made the conclusion: she counts husband's bonuses. No wonder, she is a math teacher.
S. Mozyakin: I doubt it Yulia counts any bonuses or other plus-minuses. She just tries keeping track of my business. She is my most faithful fan.
FOR MY GOALS I PAY WITH MY TEETH
You are playing in your fourth season in the Super League. Was there more successes than failures?
S. Mozyakin: Hard to say. It's a pleasure to remember periods of time when I scored a lot. Tikhonov invited me to the national team for Karjala Cup in November 2003. Then, there was Baltika Cup in December. And later, matches against Czechs for the third place at Euro-tour when I scored.
Yes, you scored against Vokoun, an NHL keeper.
S. Mozyakin: I never pay attention who is in the net. Recently, I scored in Magnitogorsk, and people tell me: 'Great job! You just fooled' some great Canadian'.
Scott?
S. Mozyakin: Yes-yes. I just don't know who he is. I made a breakaway and sent a puck between his pads. It doesn't matter if he's Canadian or Czech.
OK, we went through your successes, now let's touch on your failures.
S. Mozyakin: The saddest is that I didn't play at a World Championship. In 2003 I was already in Czech Republic with the national team, but the head coach Viktor Tikhonov preferred another player, so I went back home. It was sad, but I don't blame Viktor Vasilievich; it was his right to choose because he's the one who was responsible for the final result. Besides, every year various injuries follow me. In 2002 by the end of the match against Severstal I smashed with Turkovsky so hard that I ended up on a surgical table several times. In 2003 right before the final whistle of a game against Czechs at the Baltika Cup I broke my leg. And on February I suffered a brain bruise, while riding a snowmobile. When I was riding on an open field everything was OK, but as soon as I got on a road something happened to the brakes, and all of a sudden children came on my way, so I sharply turned to a side and hit the fence. After that my last season was over. Moreover, I got a lot of minor injuries, not counting lost teeth. It's just the Murphy's Law, right after I've installed the new teeth, they got broken. This is what happened to me during a preseason game against Krylya Sovetov in August.
'HANDY' SOKOLOV
Last season was a kind of crumpled for you, right?
S. Mozyakin: Yes, and not only because of the injury. NHLers came in to the team, so my linemates have been changing all the time, as a result I didn't feel comfortable.
At the last moment your name appeared on a preliminary list of the candidates of the national team that will play the the Karjala Cup.
S. Mozyakin: I found out about it from the Soviet Sport. Also, I've read that Krikunov wanted to invite me earlier for the Ceska Poistovna, but no one talked to me regarding the national team.
Perhaps, you are dreaming about the Olympics'
S. Mozyakin: Show me who doesn't want to go to the Olympic Games and play with and against the best hockey players in the world. I think everyone has a chance, but if I'd stay off this event, it wouldn't be a tragedy.
In the Super League you are the fourth sniper on the list after experienced Sushinsky, Zatonsky, and Antipov with 50 goals even. Tell us your secret regarding who are your 'handy' goalkeepers?
S. Mozyakin: 'Handy'? (Laughing) Perhaps, Maxim Sokolov. I score too many goals in his net. Even recently in St.Petersburg I made him sad twice. Actually, those two goals were not really logical, I would say, they were odd.
Don't be shy. Last year in Omsk you've scored a real beauty of a goal, skating around two defencemen in a really small area, and then even skating around a goalie.
S. Mozyakin: Something like that.
Do you remember what Sergei Nikolaev, Sibir's previous head coach, said last December when your CSKA won against Sibir in Novosibirsk?
S. Mozyakin: Of course, he said: 'Today we lost to Mozyakin whose weight is 50 kilos including his shoes'. It was funny, and pleasant.
Seems that Avangard and SKA are your 'clients' since you keep scoring against them constantly. At the same time, perhaps, you have a stumbling block.
S. Mozyakin: Dynamo and Lada. Though, last season I 'brought' one illogical goal into Dynamo's net too, and I finally unlocked Togliatti only during this season'
TOWNHOUSE IN YAROSLAVL
Your head coach Vyacheslav Bykov doesn't like to keep players for too long during training camp. How do you spend your spare time?
S. Mozyakin: I like to spend time with my family; often we go shopping for our new apartment.
How large is the apartment?
S. Mozyakin: One hundred sq. meters. Our son Andrei has lots of space to play around. During the spring we are awaiting a second baby. Recently, we made an ultrasonic scan, but still we couldn't ascertain whether it's a boy, or girl. My wife wants a girl, and, to be honest, it doesn't matter to me. I send the summers with my children in Yaroslavl. Recently, I bought a three-level townhouse over there, and now it's time for remodeling. I think it'll be done by vacation time.
Is Mozyakin who plays for CSKA only going to move to Lokomotiv? Your contract with CSKA will finish by the end of April next year'
S. Mozyakin: No, I'm satisfied with everything in CSKA. Though, last summer I had an offer from Yaroslavl, I even went there to negotiate, but decided to stay in Moscow.
Sergei Mozyakin
Photo by: Yuri Kuzmin @ www.cska-hockey.ru
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| 2009-02-26 | | Barys - Vityaz 6:4 | | Atlant - Spartak 3:2 | | Severstal - Metallurg Mg 1:2 | | Lokomotiv - Traktor 3:1 | | SKA - Salavat Yulaev 5:4 | | CSKA - HC MVD 3:2 | | Dynamo Minsk - Metallurg Nk 2:4 | | Dynamo Riga - Amur 0:1 |
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| Mozyakin Sergey 76 (34+42) | | Marek Yan 72 (35+37) | | Morozov Alexei 71 (32+39) | | Zaripov Danis 65 (34+31) | | Tereschenko Alexei 58 (29+29) |
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| Marek Yan 35 | | Brendl Pavel 35 | | Mozyakin Sergey 34 | | Zaripov Danis 34 | | Morozov Alexei 32 |
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| Mozyakin Sergey 42 | | Morozov Alexei 39 | | Marek Yan 37 | | Mortensson Toni 35 | | Pestunov Dmitry 34 |
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| Ogureshnikov Sergey 1.44 | | Yachanov Dmitry 1.47 | | Norrena Fredrik 1.52 | | Kolesnik Vitaly 1.61 | | Gayduchenko Sergey 1.62 |
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