Head coach of Avangard, Guy Boucher, recalled the emotional meeting with fans after his team’s 3-4 loss to Lokomotiv in the KHL playoff semifinals.
“Meeting Avangard supporters at the airport after returning from Yaroslavl? It was a heavy, difficult moment – losing always hurts. This time it was doubly painful because we got stuck in Yaroslavl, right across from the very arena where the defeat happened. It was a constant eyesore; we wanted to get out of there but couldn’t. In my 30 years of coaching, I experienced the best team atmosphere and chemistry this season – it grew not only on the ice but also on a human level, including with the fans. My heart was truly broken; I wanted more for my guys. When we came back home, the whole journey was tough. We walked out of the airport at two in the morning, and there were so many people on the street, shouting the names of our hockey players. At that moment, I felt regret for how things turned out. We wanted more for them, for the city, and we fell just short. With great gratitude, I address all Avangard fans – those were incredible emotions,” Boucher said, as reported by Lev Lukin of Championat.
