Mezin leaves Belarus team

After the good news of arrival of Kostitsyn brothers, suddenly the experienced goalie Andrei Mezin, at his 12th World Championship, left the Belarus training camp without authorization or coach consent. Same Kari Heikkilä call the media to explain what happened: "Andrei has left the location of the team. Packed up his stuff and left. Obviously it's a matter of psychology: the goalkeeper did not suit his games and role in the team. But I haven't talked to him about it. Just in the morning I was told that Mezin was gone."

"It was a real surprise for everyone that Mezin left the team. No one knows why, when and where Andrei left. He just disappeared. No information, neither the players nor the chairman of the Federation Evgeny Vorsin, or us. I won't call Mezin. And we'll talk with Andrei in Minsk, after the World Championship. We have a very important game tomorrow with Slovakia and I believe that we can achieve a good result. We must try, try to do it and we will be rewarded "

Hekkilä said that nothing like happened before in his career. "It is clear that all have complicated the situation - said Hekkilä -  but somehow I always talked to the players to found out the problems and work together to solve them. Of course the situation isn't positive,  not only for me personally and Mezin, but for the team and this situation can't bring positive emotions. On such a short tournament is important healthy atmosphere in the team. Moreover, the situation with goalkeepers is not easy. In general, no one is happy. I think Mezin too. I do not want to talk about club business. I do not know the reasons and motives of such an act of Andrei. We just need to sit down and talk normally. He is a great guy, so I'm not going to make any hasty conclusions."

The only experienced goalie in Belarussian team is now Vitaly Koval, who was the first pick goalie in first two games at the championship. Mezin got his chance against Team USA but allowed two goals and was benched in the tenth minute. "Our number one goalie is Koval, we trust him," said Heikkilä. If he gets injured, the only goalie left is Dmitry Milchavov, who plays only in the Belarussian league.
 
Mezin did not only play twelve World Championship. He participated at three Olympics and in 2009 he was selected into an All-Star-Team of the IIHF World Championship in Switzerland. When he was finally reached by Belarussian media, he did not say much. "Please, ask the coach or other responsible people. I have nothing to say. I just decided to leave. I will comment that later, when the right time comes," he said.

 

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