Merz\u013cikina p\u0101rst\u0101v\u0113t\u0101 komanda Kolumbusas “Blue Jackets” nesen nomain\u012bja galveno treneri, un tas novedis pie pan\u0101kumu s\u0113rijas, komandai uzvarot septi\u0146\u0101s no asto\u0146\u0101m iepriek\u0161\u0113j\u0101m sp\u0113l\u0113m. Pie liel\u0101ka sp\u0113les laika tiek ar\u012b Merz\u013cikins, kur\u0161 \u0161onakt pal\u012bdz\u0113ja ar 5:3 p\u0101rsp\u0113t Filadelfijas “Flyers”.<\/p>\n
Intervij\u0101 LTV Merz\u013cikins atzina, ka decembris un janv\u0101ra s\u0101kums bijis ment\u0101li sare\u017e\u0123\u012bts, jo iepriek\u0161\u0113jais galvenais treneris bie\u017ei atst\u0101jis vi\u0146u rezerv\u0113, un vi\u0146\u0161 uzsv\u0113ra, ka \u013coti svar\u012bgs bijis sievas atbalsts.<\/p>\n
“Vienk\u0101r\u0161i t\u0101da t\u0101 dz\u012bve NHL ir. T\u0101 ir ga\u013casma\u0161\u012bna,” uzsv\u0113ra Merz\u013cikins. “Ja neesi stingrs ment\u0101li, tu vienk\u0101r\u0161i padosies. Es to pie\u0146\u0113mu k\u0101 izaicin\u0101jumu, zin\u0101ju, ka man b\u016bs iesp\u0113ja. Gribu ar\u012b pats sev pier\u0101d\u012bt, ka varu un varu izdar\u012bt \u013coti labi.”<\/p>\n
Neskatoties uz konkurenci par sp\u0113les laiku, Merz\u013cikins esot \u013coti lab\u0101s attiec\u012bb\u0101s ar Kolumbusas otru v\u0101rtsargu D\u017eetu Gr\u012bvzu: “Vi\u0146\u0161 ir jaun\u0101ks, es jau j\u016btos vec\u0101ks. Gadi iet uz priek\u0161u, un gribas st\u0101v\u0113t v\u0101rtos, gribas ar\u012b palikt l\u012bg\u0101. Ir j\u0101c\u012bn\u0101s, ir j\u0101tren\u0113jas un j\u0101b\u016bt gatavam. Kad tava \u0161anse izn\u0101k, t\u0101 ar\u012b j\u0101izmanto,” sac\u012bja Merz\u013cikins.<\/p>\n
Kam\u0113r Kolumbusa turpina c\u012b\u0146u par vietu izsl\u0113g\u0161anas sp\u0113l\u0113s, par kur\u0101m Merz\u013cikins nor\u0101d\u012bja, ka t\u0101s ir re\u0101li sasniedzams m\u0113r\u0137is, Latvijas v\u0101rtsargs ar\u012b gatavojas sav\u0101m pirmaj\u0101m olimpiskaj\u0101m sp\u0113l\u0113m: “Zinu, ka man tur b\u016bs iesp\u0113ja sp\u0113l\u0113t, un es gribu to izdar\u012bt p\u0113c iesp\u0113jas lab\u0101k. Ir j\u0101b\u016bt gatavam, neb\u016bs viegli. Amerik\u0101\u0146iem, kan\u0101die\u0161iem, zviedriem un visiem p\u0101r\u0113jiem sast\u0101vi ir… tie\u0161\u0101m \u013coti nopietni cilv\u0113ki tur sp\u0113l\u0113s. \u0160im turn\u012bram esmu gatavs.”<\/p>\n