Ilya Samsonov asked out of his season debut with HC Sochi during the second intermission: 'I realized that if this continued, I might end up in an ambulance and go straight to the hospital'

"It's hard not to go out on the ice in that atmosphere. I gave it everything I had. I played my best for two periods. During the [second intermission], I realized that if this continued, I might end up in an ambulance and go straight to the hospital. I spoke with the doctor. He said that if I didn't stop, things could end badly."

"I think I'll recover quickly, and everything will be fine. These things happen. The main thing is that I have two points. The music is playing in the locker room, the mood is great. Everything is as it should be. I knew the team's situation wasn't the best. We need to get back into playoff contention, and I really wanted to help the team. Especially since the guys gave me a very warm welcome. Everyone's motivated and wants to win."

Ilya Samsonov signed a two-year contract with HC Sochi the day before his season debut. In the 5-2 win over Spartak Moscow, he stopped 30 of 31 shots for a .968 save percentage. He left during the second intermission after feeling unwell and was advised by the team doctor that continuing could result in hospitalization. Alexei Shchetilin replaced him and stopped 18 of 19 shots in the third period to preserve the victory. The win was Sochi's fifth in 19 games. Samsonov received a warm welcome from teammates, expressed confidence in a quick recovery, and had requested a KHL-rights trade from Metallurg Magnitogorsk after failing to secure an NHL contract this summer.

Read at RMNB