Photo credit: RMNB’s Chris Gordon
After the Capitals dramatic 5-4 (SO) victory against the Flyers Tuesday, Soviet Sport correspondent N. Bragilevskaya caught up with Caps goalie Semyon Varlamov. Varly, who is now healthy and awaiting word of his next start in net, spoke extensively to Bragilevskaya about his struggles with injury, what’s plaguing Alex Ovechkin — if anything — and what the coaches have told him about who will be the starting netminder in the playoffs.
Below the jump, RMNB’s Igor Kleyner has your translation.
N. Bragilevskaya – Have you fully recovered from your knee injury?
Semyon Varlamov – Yes. Otherwise I would not be in the lineup as a backup goalie. I feel great. I think I will get to play this week.
NB – Has Washington’s coach Bruce Boudreau told you who is going to be the starter, and who will be the backup, for the rest of the regular season and in the playoffs?
SV – The only thing I know is that I will get to play and I will get a chance. There are three weeks until the playoffs. I think the coaches have decided on the starter for the Stanley Cup playoffs. But us, the goalies, we still don’t know.
NB – Are you upset that Neuvirth has claimed the spot in goal and that you have been going through so many injuries?
SV – There is nothing good about that. For the second year in a row something weird is going on with me. When you are injured, and another goalie is playing instead, it’s upsetting. On the other hand, if a goalie wins games, it’s good for the team.
NB – Everybody is slightly shocked by the news about your captain Alex Ovechkin getting injured before the playoffs. The official version: he is being given a chance to rest. The unofficial one: Alex is seriously broken. How is Washington dealing with this loss?
SV – Ovi plays a lot in every game. He is simply tired. So the coaches really decided to let him rest before the playoffs. During the Stanley Cup playoffs it’s all serious stuff – tough schedule, playing every other day. So let the team leader get stronger.
Yes, it is a loss for Washington. But we have a lot of players who can decide the outcome of the game. We beat Philadelphia.
NB – So Washington is better?
SV – We won, so right now we are better. Philadelphia looks great this season, and they made it to the finals last year. But we’ll fight for first place in the East. It’d be good to get. But it’d be even better to become the champions.
Additional reporting by Ian Oland.
