Nikulin Blog November 23: Don’t even feel like talking about it
November 23, 2007
From ThirtyFive
Honestly, I don’t really want to talk about such an NHL debut. That wasn’t how I’d imagined it. I can’t be proud of my actions against the Penguins. However, I’ll try to push away everything negative, come to some conclusions, and try my hardest next game to display everything I’m capable of.
But let’s start from the beginning. A day before the next AHL game, around 8 PM, Ilja Zubov, my Binghamton teammate and roommate, got a call. It was someone from the Senators. Asked to relay to me that I’m being called up to Ottawa.
They sent a limousine to Binghamton to pick me up. A real one, long and black. To tell the truth, I was completely shocked. What class! Drove to the arena, gathered the equipment, then got back to the apartment, and after that went on to Ottawa.
I got to the hotel only at 3 in the morning, and at 8 I was already up. The morning skate prior to the Pittsburgh game was starting. The guys received me well. We greeted each other, everybody was smiling. I exchanged a few phrases with the coach. He asked me simple questions in English, asking how the farm team was doing, how I was doing.
As far as I can tell, my call-up was due to an injury to Patrick Eaves. It’s something serious with his shoulder, and he’s out for a long time. I myself was almost taken out of the game during the pre-game warm-up. There was a moment when a puck deflected off a goalpost and hit me in the jaw. Thankfully, it didn’t result in a fracture. Just a swelling and the teeth hurt a bit.
But, of course, this accident didn’t cause my unimpressive performance. I don’t even know what happened. Maybe I just burned out. It’s hard to understand what came over me. But I’m not happy with my game. We didn’t have any opportunities to score, and the team was scored on twice with me on the ice.
The first one is definitely my fault. Evgeni Malkin beat me and put it in the net. But the second one was from the blue line, I couldn’t get in front of it. At any rate, I didn’t get on the ice in the third period at all, and played only 5 minutes 49 seconds in my first game. My linemates were Antoine Vermette and Chris Kelly. We took the opening faceoff, but we’re really the third line.
Anything memorable during the game? Not really. The crowd probably liked the course of the game. Ten goals were scored, plus the shootout, too. Of course, I didn’t participate in the shootout, the team has plenty of experts without me.
There was a fight, Georges Laraque himself was battling. But I wasn’t paying attention to that. At one time Sergei Gonchar pasted me hard to the boards. I didn’t get a chance to respond, there was no opportunity.
All in all, not the best of moods. But there is time before the next game to collect myself. On Friday we didn’t have a practice on the ice, just the gym for those that wanted it. And on Saturday a game against Philadelphia. I’m hoping it will be successful for me and the team.
Nikulin Blog November 22: They even brought in a psychiatrist
November 22, 2007
From ThirtyFive
I don’t even know what’s happening with us. We’ve lost five of the last six games. Interestingly, there hasn’t been much cause for the hard luck. We didn’t become softer, didn’t start playing worse. But the puck is not going in the net, and all the problems are because of that. Because of that we’ve lost confidence. We make too many mistakes in our zone.
It’s hard to fault anyone. The goalies make the saves and give us a chance, but still the opposition’s scoring percentage is much higher. I don’t even know how to explain it. At least we beat Pittsburgh’s farm team in the last game. It’s likely that the opponent, a very capable group, didn’t prepare for us. Just looked at our stats.
There are meetings without the coaches and with them, a psychiatrist even came to us. Obviously, I didn’t really understand him, but the guys said he didn’t say any magic words. Only saying that we need to believe in our strengths, keep the spirits up. Interestingly, after this we lost another two games.
Our coach even cancelled one practice. The whole team went bowling. Unlike with golf, where I couldn’t find any bearings, here I was in my element. Ilja Zubov got the first place in the team championship, and I placed second.
The schedule is rather dense here, even in the NHL it’s not so difficult. We had four games in a week. And on the road, too. It’s not really a big distance to travel, but you still need to recover. In Russia I’d gotten used to the sauna and a cold pool. There’s a reason they use these methods during our season. But in my present club there’s nothing like that. In Ottawa, though, they had all of this.
My injury’s healed, there are no problems, although I’m not very happy with my game. In one game I scored two goals, but had many more opportunities. I certainly have to work on the execution.
There are also purely tactical problems. I haven’t fully adapted to the AHL, haven’t fully grasped the strategy, and make mistakes in certain situations. For example, on defense. Sometimes I would skate somewhere where I’m not supposed to be.
In light of this I don’t even want to recall my goals. Although the second one was pretty good. This is my best goal across the ocean yet. I don’t celebrate the goals somehow distinctively. Don’t jump on the glass, don’t imitate a swimmer. Just like always, I raise the hands, the guys skate up, congratulate me, and then I high-five those that were on the bench.
Speaking about my stats, I don’t really pay too much attention to them. But I know I’m second in scoring. Though, like I said, could be better. Not too satisfied with my plus/minus, which is even.
All coaches mix lines when a team is losing. We’re no exception. I’ve spent a few games with Nick Foligno, who was sent down from Ottawa. But then we went back to the original lines.
P.S.: I have been called up to the Ottawa Senators. All the details later. Thank you all for believing in me.
Nikulin Blog November 16: Zubov’s no help around the kitchen
November 16, 2007
From ThirtyFive
My main activity outside of hockey is studying English. Ilja Zubov and I still go to the lessons like clockwork. And, I must say, there is noticeable progress. I can already exchange a few phrases with my teammates. They help me, by the way. They make an effort to say words slowly so that I can understand everything. And I respond. Though I still don’t understand the coach’s pre-game speeches. On the other hand, he says the same things every time. Everything’s clear without translation.
The atmosphere within the team is good. There was a team dinner. Binghamton took part in a charitable affair. Threw paint all over the ice. To be honest, I didn’t get the point. Though it was clear it was a benefit for children from an orphanage. And I got the paint all over me, although, thankfully, it washes off easily.
And in other news: Ilja Zubov and I have moved to an apartment. We’re sharing the rent. Big hall, two bedrooms, kitchen. If anyone’s wondering, it’s $850 a month. Prices are incomparable with Moscow’s. We have some guys that rent houses for $1,500.
What’s better in an apartment? You can cook something. But it’s mostly me around the kitchen. I can make borsch, fried eggs, spaghetti. And Ilja Zubov can’t cook. And can’t help out in the kitchen at all. Nothing to hide here.
The apartment is close to all the supermarkets. But totally empty. It only came with beds and a refrigerator. Had to buy everything ourselves, from bed sheets to spoons and forks. However, that’s normal. Several guys rented furniture, bought TVs.
We have a TV, but we don’t watch it. We’re waiting for the cable to be installed. We’ve set up an appointment, but the technician still hasn’t come. Though there wouldn’t be any Russian channels anyway. We aren’t hiring a maid, we’re keeping it clean ourselves. No problems with that.
I heard that the soccer season in Russia is over. And Zenit is the champion. Amazing! Though I haven’t followed the playoffs, don’t even know how anything transpired. I’m not crazy about soccer, I could watch Barcelona, maybe. Plus, in America you stop being used to soccer. They show some highlights on TV here, only rarely.
Ilja Zubov finally bought a car. A Porsche, but not new, though in great condition. We drove to New York City, met Gennadiy Ushakov, the agent. It’s a four-hour drive to New York City. We even encountered a deer on the way, running by calmly. Cool.
New York shocked me. I think even Moscow traffic is more peaceful. Or did we just catch the rush hour? Noise, clatter, signals everywhere, everyone’s running, cutting everybody off. Same thing in Moscow on Tverskaya at 6 PM. Anyway, drove to the airport and back. Didn’t see the city. And we’re not likely to go back, too far away.
You have to relish the off days. Recently we had a day free of practice. We went to visit Zubov’s relatives. Ilja’s sister is married to an American, they live here. We spent the evening with them.
Looks like slowly but surely things are moving along with my girlfriend Natasha’s visa. It’s a real hassle here with paperwork, but we’ve straightened it out now, sent off the necessary forms. I hope they give her the visa.
Our leisure time hasn’t changed. Practice, lunch, nap, dinner. Now we have road games close by. In the morning we skate on our own ice, then board the bus and drive to the game. Afterwards back in the bus and home.
Ilja and I wanted to go to the movies. However, looks like there’s no theater in our town. We searched but didn’t find one. And the guys on the team couldn’t remember if there are any in Binghamton. Just amazing.
Nikulin Blog November 13: Without shots or pills
November 13, 2007
From ThirtyFive
A few games ago I was injured. I was about to pull off a wrist shot at the net, raised the stick, and was hit in the back. To be honest, I barely finished that game.
For the next game it seemed like the pain dulled, and I was on the ice again. But during the game I unfortunately collided with an opposing player and fell awkwardly on that very spot where I was hit.
Sharp pain; I couldn’t breathe. Turned out to be damaged ligaments. I couldn’t finish that second game, and went to the locker room.
I only missed two games and then was back on the ice. Through the pain, through the uncomfortable feelings, but I went for it. Interestingly, they don’t give you anesthetic shots here like they usually do in Russia. How do they treat you? With massage. No pills, nothing. When I decided to resume playing, they wrapped the damaged area and off I went onto the ice.
Nobody rushed me into coming back. But they asked, of course, if I could play. Once I declined, because I couldn’t even make one good stride. Let alone shooting or physical play. Inhuman pain. I was even taken for an x-ray. They thought it could be a broken rib. But, thankfully that didn’t prove true. Only the damaged ligaments. Still, I didn’t miss practice. I skated individually.
Now I’m fine. Obviously, some discomfort remains, but I want to play so badly and not sit in the stands. Especially since Ottawa’s general manager Bryan Murray came to watch us. Not like there was anything to see. We haven’t scored a goal in the last three games.
But I can’t say we’ve been playing worse. We just can’t score, that’s all. Plenty of good moments in each game. I hit a post in the last game against Philadelphia. Just bad luck.
During the time off with the injury I was watching the games from the stands with the other players who weren’t dressed. I have to say our team is looking good, which means that these bad breaks are temporary. Without me Binghamton won two games, once coming back to win after being down by two goals. It was interesting to watch, too. Very dynamic hockey in the AHL.
But it’s a wholly different thing to watch a game from the stands. You want to take part. Another reason I sped up my return to the ice was the realization that it would be tough for me to get back into the rhythm. Even after two games it felt difficult, but if I were to take it easy I’d spend more time later getting back into the lineup.
The injury didn’t change my place on the team. I’m on the first line. I’m playing the same minutes as before. But the partners sometimes change. On the one wing it’s always Denis Hamel, but on the other it was Greg Mauldin the last game. Now, if we could only score.
Though I haven’t noticed any nervousness due to the losing. The coach is calm, and the guys also realize we need to fix things. We had a players meeting where the veterans spoke out. We talked, analyzed mistakes. We weren’t spared the slogans, but I think even without them everyone realizes that it can’t go on like this. Mainly it was Amadio and Dimitrakos who spoke. And others over 25 years old.
Now that I’m completely used to the team, I’ll say that our group is fine. Oleg Saprykin was talking as if everyone’s by themselves in Ottawa, nobody to talk to. But I don’t have these problems. And when you have a good group of players, then the wins will come.
