Bogatyrev speaks on Finals loss

[Bojovnik 487]

We haven’t heard much from Yaroslav Bogatyrev since the Seattle Bears somehow conspired to throw away a 3-1 lead in the Continental Cup Finals against the London United. The Washington-state side lost in seven games against the team from the UK capital, a bitter blow to take following a promising season.

 

The Bears were the pacesetters in the North American Conference all season. The Chicago Phoenix ran them close, but the Bears late-season form saw them pull away from their Illinois rivals. Despite going into the playoffs as favourites, the Bears flattered to deceive in the opening rounds.

 

They required six games to get past the Vancouver Wolves in the Conference Semi-Finals, with two of their four victories coming in overtime. They also dropped two games against the Calgary Wranglers in the Conference Finals, after the aforementioned Phoenix had been dumped out of the postseason.

 

Then came the final. The United won the first game, but then the Bears, backed by the outgoing Xavier Booberry, put on a clinic in Games 2 through 4. They outscored the United by a combined 8-4, taking both games in the UK capital. However, then things fell apart. A 5-2 loss in Game 5, a heartbreaking 3OT loss in Game 6, before the embarrassment of being shut out at home in Game 7.  

 

“It still hurts,” Russian forward Yaroslav Bogatyrev said in his first interview since the end of the season.

 

“I’m still trying to put my finger on what went wrong. First of all, all credit to London. They made the adjustments they needed to in order to put us under pressure, and it worked. Their offence exploded in Game 5, and I think they began to work out what they needed to do to take our best players out of the game. Of course, all credit must go to Teno as well. He was lights out throughout the entire playoffs, unfortunately for us,” the Seattle #47 said.

 

This past season was something of a break out one for Bogatyrev. After two seasons of struggles, the big-bodied forward from Nizhnii Tagil began to look like the sort of player the Bears thought they were getting when they selected him with the second overall pick three seasons ago.  Bogatyrev’s point totals jumped up to 77, as he registered career highs in all categories.

 

However, it’s fair to say that Bogatyrev struggled during the postseason. The Bears loaded up their top line with veterans, as Hulk Hogan 2, Tavish DeGroot, and Vasile Lamb all impressed. On the other hand, the Bears youth – of which Bogatyrev is a major member – looked to freeze up at points during the postseason. Bogatyrev scored two goals in the Bears Game 6 elimination victory against the Vancouver Wolves, but the Russian only managed to register 9 points in 19 playoff games, and finished with a -3 rating.

 

“The playoffs are tough. I found this out in S87 in the Conference Finals, and it was exactly the case again in the Continental Cup finals. It’s disappointing because I think I really contributed last time around. I think I had 13 points in 16 games. So to get less points in more games is something that is tough to take. It’s an eyeopener for me, that even when regular season went so well, it requires a major effort every single night. Perhaps I wasn’t doing enough off the puck to help us get the win. The way we lost means I’m left with a lot of questions, but its also the necessary motivation to keep going and to go into offseason training full of motivation,” Bogatyrev remarked.

 

The Bears have already begun setting the scene for S89, a season that will be the last for many of the team’s veterans. Defenceman Mikhail Kovalchuk has moved to forward, and the D ranks have been boosted by Scoish Velociraptor Malosih and Rex Wolffe Gregor. In net, Cole Pearce and Ilya Bryzgalov will lead the line, following Booberry’s retirement.

 

“We have a good roster going into next season. We have to be up there with the favourites in the league, and I think the experience of the last two seasons will give us a real boost going into this year. I know that it takes a lot to break through in the playoffs. We don’t want to have a tradition of coming close and not reaching the final goal. Seattle is too good of a team for that. The team has such a proud history that we need to buy in and realize the significance of pulling on a Bears jersey,’ the Russian forward said.

 

Bogatyrev will head back, as he always does, to Russia for the offseason. He will undergo a rigorous training camp at home before flying back to the United States to begin his fourth VHL campaign. Fans and pundits alike are still waiting for Bogatyrev to truly arrive as a leader on the Seattle Bears. For now, he’s still playing a complimentary role.

 

“I know what I need to do this offseason, and the goal for me heading into S89 is clear. It has to be a cup or bust. And I know it’s time for me to become a leader on this team. Other guys come into the league young and are expected to begin having an impact. Our rosters are short, and if you want to be in the VHL, you have to make a difference. If you want to have all the glory that comes with playing hockey at the highest level, you had better put the effort in and get results. I’m tired of having to explain myself to journalists. I’m tired of having questions about myself or seeing my name in trade rumours. To date, I have been committed to Seattle. I have stayed here when I could have quit and gone somewhere else. I’m committed to this team, this city, and the fans. Next season will be our year, I am sure of it,” he concluded.

 

[JCarson 730]

Article Review:  Great article, you can feel the disappointment at the loss to London.  The analysis of what worked and what didn't gives a balance of growth and angst of frustration.  It is neet to see an article that so strongly pulls on the players experience and lays it out in an easy to follow story.

I give this article a 10/10, Great work, keep up the writing and hopefully the future will turn out better.  Enjoy season 89

[Bojovnik 487]

Week 2 claim