ðɪs wʌz nˌɑːt wɪðˌaʊt kˈɑːntɹəvˌɜːsi, haʊˈɛvɚ, æz hiː wʌzɐ sˈɛntɹəl plˈeɪɚɹ ɪnðə kɹˈɪvəkɹˌæsɑːv stˈɪk ˈɪnsɪdənt ɪnðə sˌɛmɪfˈaɪnəlz, ˈæftɚɹ ɛkstʃˈeɪndʒɪŋ ɐn ɪlˈiːɡəl stˈɪk dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ɐ dᵻlˈeɪ pɹˈaɪɚ tə mˈɛʒɚmənt.
This was not without controversy, however, as he was a central player in the Krivokrasov stick incident in the semifinals, after exchanging an illegal stick during a delay prior to measurement.