Kravets: Barys keep repeating first-period mistakes in loss to SKA

Barys head coach Mikhail Kravets pointed to the first period again after his side lost 3-5 to SKA in the Fonbet KHL Championship.

"Against an opponent like this you have to bite, fight and win the battles for the puck from the first shifts. You cannot give away chances like that. On the first goal the puck simply bounced over. Perhaps the goalkeeper should have made a save somewhere, but goals like that are very unpleasant all the same."

He was happier with what followed. "The second and third periods we played decently," Kravets said. "There were breaks one-on-none, several two-on-ones, we got away well shorthanded and could have scored. In those two periods I saw a team that can pass, build combinations, shoot and score. We played reasonably well on the power play and did not concede shorthanded. That matters."

He also thanked the crowd.

As for what happens next: "Be patient, work and win the coming matches."

Kravets was then asked about goaltender Hunter Shepard. At the start of the season the coach had asked for no hurried conclusions and for time to let Shepard settle. The question was whether he had now got used to the KHL, the pace and the demands.

"You have to support your goalkeeper, and not only me," Kravets said. "If a player has barely started playing and people are already drawing conclusions about him, I think that is wrong. I think Shepard has got used to being here. He likes everything and trains well enough. There were moments when he pulled us out. But he needs help from the skaters. When Shepard was in goal there were more shots. I am not taking anything away from Andrei (Shutov), who also played. You remember how we conceded on the power play. What can a goalkeeper do when the defence is torn apart like that? He has to be helped. Though, naturally, in some incredible situations he has to bail us out too."

If Barys cut out the early lapses Kravets described, the argument over the goalkeeper position may lose much of its force. If they do not, it is likely to return.