Ahead of the Gagarin Cup final series against Lokomotiv, Ak Bars defenseman Ilya Karpukhin weighed in on the threats posed by forwards Alexandr Radulov and Egor Surin.
When asked about the challenge of breaking through Lokomotiv’s tight defensive system, Karpukhin acknowledged the difficulty but welcomed the test. “It’s the final, nothing will come easy. It will be tough, but that makes it more interesting—the intensity rises. Everyone is watching. These are decisive games, and we want to enjoy every moment, every second. We’ve worked all season for this, and now we want to savor it,” he said.
Regarding the possibility of a personal matchup against Radulov and Surin, who are known for their gritty, in-your-face style, Karpukhin was unfazed. “We know them, and the whole league knows them. Their style is no secret. We understand how to play against them. I don’t foresee any big problems for us,” the defenseman stated.
