The 2019/20 CHL Playoffs are set to get underway on Tuesday and will feature one team that always loves to spring a surprise. For the first time in CHL history, a Belarussian team will feature in the Round of 16. In preparation for their clash against Red Bull Munich, we spoke with Yunost Minsk’s new head coach, Alexander Makritski, who joined the team after Game Day 4, and has already made his mark.
Makritski is no stranger to the European game. As a player, he had a storied career where he spent time in the Belarussian, Russian, and German top tiers. He was also a stalwart for the Belarussian national team, lacing up over 80 times for his country.
He has now taken charge of Belarus’s most successful team, Yunost Minsk. In September, long-term head coach Mikhail Zakharov, who had spent 20 years with the club, left his post after his appointment as the Belarus national team head coach. In his place, Yunost turned to Makritski, who has previously spent time working as an assistant coach in the KHL.
"Yunost is a famous club in Belarus, and it has won the most titles in the history of Belaurssian hockey"Alexander Makritski on his delight at being named Yunost's new head coach
“Of course, I’m enjoying it!”, commented Makritski. “Yunost is a famous club in Belarus, and it has won the most titles in the history of Belaurssian hockey. Therefore, it was great to have the chance to become the head coach, even more when it is my first experience working as a head coach. Before that I worked as an assistant in the KHL in several different teams.”
Makritski looks back fondly on his time spent as an assistant coach in the KHL. He commented that it gave him the tools and the experience to succeed in his first opportunity as a head coach.
“The role of head coach is a little different to that of an assistant coach, because you have to make specific decisions, and take responsibility for those decisions. However, the experience that I received working as an assistant, especially in the KHL, helped me a lot, and I use this experience in my new position”, said Yunost’s head coach.
Following in the footsteps of Coach Zakharov is a difficult task for any coach. Under Zakharov’s stewardship, Yunost already qualified for the CHL Playoffs once, in 2016/17, and also accumulated no less than eight domestic titles.
"Yunost Minsk does not consider any position except for first place"Alexander Makritski on Yunost's tradition of success
“Yunost Minsk does not consider any position except for first place when it comes to the Belarussian Extraliga,” stated Makritski. “And of course, we also want to play as well as we can in the Champions Hockey League. The fact that we qualified for the Playoffs is a good result, but we also want more.
We want more because Yunost is a club that is always fighting for first place. Therefore, there are specific expectations and pressure from the fans and the management of the team. We are trying to do all we can to win every game.”
In Makritski’s first CHL game behind the bench, Yunost Minsk pulled off what could be considered to be a shock result. After losing all eight of their road games in the CHL from 2016 onwards, Yunost finally got a win away from home. On Game Day 5, Yunost travelled to Finland to play Lahti Pelicans, knowing that they desperately needed a win to keep their Playoff qualification hopes alive. Two goals from new addition Mikhail Stefanovich sent Yunost on their way to a 4-2 victory.
“I think that we played an excellent game on the road against Lahti Pelicans,” said Makritski. “Of course, you could say that it was a particular success, but I consider that we are always looking forward, and we always want more. We don’t want to dwell on any particular result, we always want to achieve more.”
That result set Yunost up for a Game Day 6 clash against Lahti Pelicans at home, where they have previously recorded wins against clubs such as Frölunda Indians. Win, and qualification was secured. However, things didn’t turn out the way Makritski hoped. Pelicans took the win after a shootout, which meant that Yunost had to wait for the result of the game between Lausanne HC and Oceláři Třinec the following day. Luckily for Makritski and his team, Lausanne took a 5-3 victory, which in turn, also secured Yunost’s qualification to the CHL Playoffs.
“At that moment, the first emotion was disappointment that that we couldn’t beat Pelicans in regulation, or even beat them in overtime in the home game,” commented Makritski
“When we watched the Lausanne-Třinec game, of course we were worried. We hoped that Lausanne would win, so that we could continue our participation in the CHL.”
For Makritski, participation in the Champions Hockey League is prestigious for both his club, and for his country. Belarussian teams have a history of recording fantastic results in the CHL, and they are consistently some of the best-performing Challenger League teams.
“We consider the CHL to be an elite competition and it helps grow the popularity of hockey in Europe, and also in our country,” said Makritski. “It is great for our club, and for Belarussian hockey in general, to play against teams of the highest level, and have the chance to see how well we match up against these teams. It is a great tournament, and we are very happy to participate.”
Speaking of teams of the highest level, Yunost Minsk’s Round of 16 opponents Red Bull Munich are exactly that. Last season’s CHL Runners-Up looked at their imperious best in the Group Stage and are desperate to go one better this year and lift the European Trophy.
The two teams have a history of playing each other. In 2018/19 Yunost Minsk and Red Bull Munich were both drawn in Group B. The German side won both games by an aggregate score of 7-3, including a highly impressive 3-0 victory in Minsk.
"At this stage of the CHL, there are no weak teams"Alexander Makritski on Yunost's Round of 16 opponents
When asked for his reaction to Yunost’s Round of 16 opponents, Makritski said, “I have to say that at this stage of the CHL, there are no weak teams. However, I think that we were drawn against perhaps the strongest team!”
Yunost Minsk had a significant number of players participate for the national team during this week’s international break. However, the break in domestic action will give Makritski all the time he needs to prepare his charges for their upcoming Playoff battle.
“Firstly, we have some time to prepare for the game on 12 November. Of course, we are doing our research on Red Bull Munich’s players, and trying to prepare as well as we can for this game.
However, in order for us to win the game, I think we will have to play at our maximum level, and maybe even higher than that, in order win against such a strong team.”
The first leg of Yunost Minsk’s Round of 16 series against Red Bull Munich gets underway on Tuesday 12 November at 17:00 CEST. For the full CHL schedule, click here!