Lokomotiv defenseman Alexei Bereglazov shared his thoughts ahead of the 2026 Gagarin Cup Final series against Ak Bars.
On his mindset before the final:
“We had good rest and training. Everyone is fired up. We managed to conserve our emotions, so we’re eager to get into battle.”
On the opponent:
“You don’t choose your opponent in the final; you’re always facing a strong team. We’ve analyzed Ak Bars. We can’t wait for the puck drop to get started.”
On stopping Ak Bars’ balanced attack:
“They’re all big guys who play physical. Their forwards do the dirty work, and their third and fourth lines are very strong. A lot will depend on us defensemen—things like quick zone exits. We need to show our strengths, play patiently, and be self-sacrificing.”
On this being his sixth career final:
“Every athlete wants to reach heights. Thanks to my teammates for putting me in another final.”
On concerns that Lokomotiv might be tired heading into their third straight final:
“Bob always told us during the season that we need to stay hungry. We just go from series to series, building up the tempo and fighting for every battle.”
On managing emotions from the win over Avangard:
“We need to handle that win properly—it’s very valuable. I think we’ve stored up emotions and put that series behind us. Now we just need to go out and play our best hockey.”
On the impact of home ice in the final:
“It’s nice to start at home. If the series goes long, we’ll have more games in Yaroslavl. But you also have to win on the road,” said Bereglazov.
