Barys fell 3–1 to Amur Khabarovsk at home. The Astana club’s third game of the new Kontinental Hockey League season ended in defeat despite another goal from Canadian forward Garrett Pilon.
Amur arrived in Kazakhstan’s capital seeking their first win after three straight losses. They secured it with a third goal into an empty net in the closing stages.
Pilon scored Barys’ only goal, taking his tally to two goals and three assists for five points in three games. Afterwards, he discussed missed power-play opportunities, his role on the top line and the adjustment to life with Kazakhstan’s KHL team.
Special teams made the difference
For Pilon, the failure to convert with the man advantage was one of the clearest differences between the teams.
“It was a fast-paced game. There was quite a bit of power-play and penalty-kill time in the first period. Looking back, it would have been nice to convert at least one of those chances. I think that was one of the main differences today: they scored on the power play and we didn’t,” Pilon said.
Amur took several penalties, but Barys could not capitalise. Pilon felt the power play gave his team good opportunities early on, while the visitors presented a different challenge at even strength.
“At five-on-five, Amur played with good speed and did a good job spreading the play out in the zone. That’s something we need to think about before we face them again.”
Five points in three games, but perspective comes first
Pilon has made a productive start individually, although he is cautious about drawing conclusions so early in the season.
“I think it’s been good. Obviously, it’s nice to put up points and have success in that respect. But the season has only just started, so you can’t get too carried away with yourself or any one game. There are still little details we need to work on, and I’m still figuring things out myself.”
He currently centres Barys’ top line between Justin Bailey and Mason Morelli. His familiarity with both wingers from their time in North America has helped him settle in, on and off the ice.
“It’s a big responsibility to create chances and help the team offensively. I have two good players on my wings, so I try to use their strengths and help them be successful. It’s great playing with them. Things have been working so far, and hopefully we can keep that going throughout the season.”
Their shared history gives the line a foundation to build on.
“We’ve won a championship together before. Over several years in North America, we got to know each other well. That makes everything easier, both the team dynamic off the ice and our understanding of each other during games,” Pilon said.
Adjusting to a Russian-speaking coaching staff
Joining Barys has also brought a new experience: working with a Russian-speaking head coach for the first time in his professional career.
Pilon said the club’s translation support during meetings and training has helped keep communication clear.
“There are funny moments sometimes. But the team does a great job with translation in meetings and during other team activities. We understand what’s going on, and that’s the most important thing.”
He sees a parallel with the adjustment European players make when they move in the opposite direction.
“It’s definitely a change of cultural environment for me. It’s probably similar to how European players feel when they come to North America and everyone around them speaks English.”
A four-game road trip comes next
Barys now face four away games, with fixtures scheduled every other day. It will be Pilon’s first road trip with the club, though the demands of travelling between games are familiar.
“It’s my first road trip with Barys, but certainly not my first in professional hockey. It’s always tough to win on the road. You’re playing in another team’s building, and that can be challenging. I just want to take it game by game, and hopefully we can get our next win.”
After scoring more freely in their opening two games, Barys struggled to finish against Amur. Pilon believes the response should be to retain confidence in the chances they are creating.
“Even today, we created a lot of chances. We just couldn’t put the puck in the net. The main thing for us now is to stay confident, keep moving the puck and keep playing our game. We have a lot of talented players who can score and create opportunities. We just need to stick with that mindset.”
“Pressure helps us get better”
Barys missed the playoffs last season, leaving supporters eager for an improvement. Pilon sees those expectations as part of professional sport rather than an additional burden.
“I’ve played for teams and in cities where expectations are very high, and I think that’s a good thing. It helps. I think pressure is good. It helps us get better and pushes us to give everything we have to win every game. Our goal this year is obviously to make the playoffs and have a great season.”
The conversation ended with a lighter subject: his pre-game music.
Asked to choose five tracks to help him focus before a game, Pilon started with 50 Cent’s Hustler’s Ambition, followed by Kodak Black’s Already. He also mentioned several tracks by electronic artist Fred again.. before rounding out his choices with AC/DC’s Back in Black.
Next comes a demanding stretch away from Astana. Barys have shown speed and created chances in their opening three games; turning those opportunities into goals will be a priority across four road fixtures.
