Friday, February 22, 2002
Simply A-Mezin
By STEVE SIMMONS -- Toronto Sun
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah -- The man who stands between Canada and the gold-medal hockey game lists his career highlight as winning a Colonial Hockey League championship.
That league doesn't exist anymore but Andrei Mezin -- the Belarus goaltender being called A-Mezin here -- does.
He drank two beers Wednesday night, "to make me good sleep" after the astounding defeat of Sweden and now must ready himself for the test of his hockey life.
The Olympic semi-final game against Canada.
"If they (the Canadians) want to win, they're going to win," said Mezin, a 27-year-old from Minsk. "If they want to let us go in the final, they'll let us go.
"They are the Dream Team. It's like in NBA. I think they're going to decide the game tomorrow, not us. The decision is going to be on them."
Mezin's approach of whatever happens, happens, is changed from the previous time he faced a Canadian team.
That was at the world championship in Switzerland, with scouts and general managers watching. He figured with a good performance against Canada, an NHL contract might be his.
It just didn't work out that way.
"We played against Team Canada ... my worst game of the championship," he said. "First period, zip, zip. I was, like, okay, here is my chance. Then you know, four shots, four goals from the red line. I heard a (general) manager say, 'I don't think he can play.' "
Which has been the central theme of Mezin's travelling career. He came to Canada to play tier-two hockey in Brockville and was promised a shot at the big time.
The big time turned out to be Flint of what was then the Colonial League and subsequent moves to the ECHL, IHL, UHL and AHL.
Everything but an N.
"I came in, played one period and they decide to make me stay," said Mezin of his pro debut. "I was cheap, maybe $200 or $300 a week. I was the cheapest player in the league.
"The coach said 'Don't sign with any agents and I'll give you a great contract.' I believed him because I had three agents before and I played in Flint, so it shows how good they are.
"It was good memories for me. Everyone started saying 'Yeah, you're going to the NHL.' Every year it was the same thing. And after five years, it's every year I'm going to be there and every summer I'm really upset. It wasn't a chance, it was all talk."
Some general managers watching here now believe Mezin may be worth investing in, even if he may not believe it.
But he wouldn't mind the stability, not to mention the paycheque. When not playing in the Olympics, Mezin plays goal in the German League. Last year, his Berlin team almost went bankrupt. This season, more money problems.
"I heard the (Berlin) players were paid but the money wasn't at the bank," Mezin said. "Of course I want to go to the NHL."
But first, a bout against many of the best NHL players this afternoon, the game against Canada.
"Of course we have nothing to lose," he said. "If they lose against us of course they're going to get a lot of bad stuff.
"There's going to be a lot of shots and they're going to go to the net and I have to expect a lot of hits. Maybe I hit someone back."
And when asked for the reaction back home to the victory over Sweden, Mezin smiled.
"I think people in Belarus are still drunk from yesterday," he said.
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2002 Games Men's Hockey Coverage
