Gordon on Traktor defencemen scoring in 2:1 win over Avangard

Traktor head coach Scott Gordon said he does not mind whether defencemen or forwards score, after two defenders scored the goals in a 2:1 home win over Avangard in the Fonbet KHL Championship on Sunday. Ivan Vydrenkov and Grigory Dronov got the goals.

Asked whether the defencemen step in when the forwards are not scoring, Gordon turned the question round. "I don't mind who scores," he said. "But I would point out that our forwards did a lot of work to give the defencemen the chance to get on the scoresheet. The forwards were blanked, but they did a lot right so that the defencemen got their moments."

Gordon was also asked about his health. After Traktor's first win of the season he had to see a doctor. "I'm fine," he said. "I just needed to catch up on some sleep, that's all."

In goal, Henrik Haukeland played for the second game running. Gordon said Nikolaev is recovering and the club expects him to take a full training session on Tuesday. "I'm very pleased with how Henrik played, especially given the last two games," Gordon said. "You can see he is starting to settle into the KHL. When Nikolaev returns, we'll see who plays. But both goaltenders had good games and I trust both of them."

On what Haukeland has to adjust to after the Norwegian league, Gordon pointed to how the opposition handles the puck. "Russian forwards handle the puck with confidence and patience," he said. "That matters for a goaltender. You wait for a shot, but the opponent won't necessarily send the puck at the net straight away. If you're not used to that, you can lose the concentration or the position you need. I think that is one of the things Henrik is adapting to. He has to stay patient and understand that the opponent won't shoot at the first opportunity."