Our task is to play in the final and fight for the gold, the whole country is behind us

11 Feb 2014 | Davide Tuniz from Sochi

In an unprecedented mass press conference, Russia warns the world: "we learned the lesson"

Day opened in Sochi with an unusual press conference: all the Russian team, players and staff, partecipated at the meeting with journalists: President of the Russian Hockey Federation Vladislav Tretiak want to explain why: “All of us decided to appear here as a team because we want to show we are one team. Hockey is a team sport and it is up to the entire team to get the gold, and that is why we are here together to talk to you. We also understand the responsibility, we will try to show a good hockey. Many people reminds me the Miracle on Ice, well, in that circumstance Americans taught us an important lesson about respecting one’s opponent. That is what we keep in our minds here. At the Olympics doesn't exist a weak opponent. We are at home, and for the host are always hard. Remember that champion Canada just beat the Switzerland in shootouts in Vancouver.

Evgeni Malkin: "We NHL players joined a little later, but honestly I don't think it would be a problem. We have enough time. The game with the Americans would be a good test, they have a strong team."

Captain Pavel Datsyuk: I was waiting for the Olympics in Russia all my life, and not only the last six years. It's unbelievable to play at home, yes, maybe there is more pressure than usual, but you need to convert it into energy.The whole country is behind us.”

Alexander Ovechkin: I hope we will play in the final. Our task is to play in the final and fight for the gold. At Vancouver 2010 was my first Olympics and my first experience of playing at such a significant event. Vancouver was not that much pressure on me, and all players have pressure. Now we have not yet played a game, I can not say whether there is pressure, pressure from the press there, many journalists want to talk to us. We are in the same situation that Canada four years ago.I am confident that we have an experienced team, and the guys will be able to handle the pressure.Once stepped on the ice, we think only about the game and not about anything else.

More quotes from Russia press conference here