Kamalov: Torpedo's New Volga Arena Feels Like Home
Defenceman Nikita Kamalov compares Torpedo's new Volga Arena to SKA Arena after their 3:2 opening win over Ak Bars Kazan.
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod won their first match at a new home, the Volga Arena, beating Ak Bars Kazan 3:2 this week. The venue, freshly opened, holds 12,300 spectators. The result was Torpedo's fourth win in five games to start the season.
Defenceman Nikita Kamalov, who joined the club over the summer, spoke to Izvestia about the move. He had previously played at SKA Arena in St Petersburg, a rink with a far larger capacity, and drew a comparison between the two grounds.
"The first thing that struck me is that the arena in Nizhny Novgorod is cosier, more comfortable. There are no white walls bearing down on you. Here in Nizhny Novgorod, everything feels like home," Kamalov said.
He said the coaching staff gave the squad no special pep talk before facing Ak Bars, adding that the players already understood what the occasion demanded. The atmosphere inside the new arena, with heavy backing from the home crowd, left the side nervous early on and the first 10 minutes were scrappy, by his own account, before Torpedo settled and took control of the game.
If the crowd's support behind the new arena continues at that level, it may give Torpedo an edge at home as the season goes on.
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