For more than 20 years, no Latvian hockey player has succeeded in such a brilliant National Hockey League (NHL) the beginning of the season currently on display Elvis Merzļikins a Zemgus Girgensons, who are one of the leaders of their teams after the first games of the new season. However, looking back in history, both remain Latvian hockey legends.
Special circumstances as motivation of goalkeepers
Merzlikkin after a long-term agreement with Columbus “Blue Jackets“The team has played five of the seven games, giving its team four wins. With the second team goalkeeper Jonas Korpisalo, the team has suffered only two losses. the statistics are impressive – on average only 1.98 goals were conceded and 93.9% of throws were repelled.
Merzlikins is determined to show a great performance, thus honoring the tragically deceased Matīss Kivlenieks, who was not only a compatriot and a member of the team, but also a very good friend. However, the Blue Jackets team has also changed dramatically this season – head coach Brad Larsen has taken over, with no more leaders such as Seth Jones and Chem Atkinson. All of this is currently playing an important role in why the Columbus team is on the rise.
“Right now we’re like a strong family, and that’s great,” said Merzlikkin, quoted by the club’s website. “It’s different now than last season. We have other leaders, other players, there is a different atmosphere in the locker room. There is a different feeling when we arrive in the arena in the morning. It’s very nice to enter the room with a smile.”
Portal “Delfi” contacted “Blue Jackets” viewer Jeff Svoboda to comment on the situation in the team. He agreed that Merzlikins is currently playing on the pitch with a sense of mission to honor Kivleniek, but the team’s understanding is also at a high level.
“Elvis looks inspired for obvious reasons, but he himself said that the team has very good ‘chemistry’ and it’s fun to be with the players. I think the team will have ups and downs, but Elvis will definitely continue to play well,” Svoboda said.
Of course, at times when a team wins more often than it loses, the situation seems much better. The most important thing for the Blue Jackets team would not be to fall into an emotional pit when the field is not going as well as they would like.
But also before loss on Friday, Merzlikkin’s first this season, the 27-year-old goalkeeper’s statistics lagged behind the pace at which Artūrs Irbe once started one of the regular seasons.
Irbe started the season with special inspiration even twice, reacting unshakably to various side conditions.
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