GDT: Group A - May 9 - Latvia (0) vs Russia (4)

[ellja3]

A question about too many men penalty (no, I am not pissed about the non-call, since we can't score 5on3 twice, nor during 5min PP, so that call would not change a thing ).

Today's case got me wondering - are only linesman allowed to call it? Suppose main ref sees it clearly - can he call it?

 

[Kshahdoo]

This actually made me think, maybe some Latvian knows- is Merzlikins of Russian origin or just has a Russian surname? Because in the interviews I don't hear any Russian accent, and he doesn't have a Russian name too. Though Elvis is not only a typical Latvian name, but also an international one.

Could be that he only went to Latvian school, like Maksims Å irokovs (Maxim Shirokov) who also speaks Latvian without an accent.

My theory is he was born in a Russian family, but it was a different time already, so his parrents, as a big Presley fans, named their son after him... But actually who knows.

 

[ozo]

My theory is he was born in a Russian family, but it was a different time already, so his parrents, as a big Presley fans, named their son after him... But actually who knows.

Probably no, Elvis is a pretty common name here and it has nothing to do with The King. Even though it is pronounced identically, when you would mention his first name in a random conversation, no Latvian would really notice that it actually was the name of the artist. Just go on Eliteprospects and type Elvis in search and you'll get plenty of hits with people named Elvis in Latvia.

 

[FreshBlood]

From 2:08.

 

[Kshahdoo]

From 2:08.

So he speaks 3 languages: Latvian, Italian and English. Yeah, he doesn't look like Russian... Ah, my bad, it was Larkin, and Merzlikins speaks Italian, because he plays for Lugano, I see now.

 

[SwissGrog]

Just want to clarifiy and say that Elvis speak italian because he grew up here from 2-to7 years old and then again from 14 when he decided to come back to play again goalie (he was already playing when he was 5-6 years old with Lugano).

Many players play for Lugano and don't speak italian, since they are swiss german or french.

In an interview he confirmed that Elvis is his name because of the King (father, who he never get to know, was a big fan). But in the same interview he says while he is happy to play and proud to be latvian, his home is Lugano and the most important figure in his life was the swiss italian woman who cared for him during his trouble years (14+). He speaks italian, think italian, know every corner of Lugano while he barely knows anything of Riga or other latvian cities.

Anyway he is an amazing goalie and he did amazing saves all year long. For me he has the tools and the brain for the NHL. He is a monster physically and he trains like crazy and has incredible mental strength. If Berra and Hiller did get to the NHL, well Elvis is at least as impressive if not superior.

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

Just want to clarifiy and say that Elvis speak italian because he grew up here from 2-to7 years old and then again from 14 when he decided to come back to play again goalie (he was already playing when he was 5-6 years old with Lugano).

Many players play for Lugano and don't speak italian, since they are swiss german or french.

In an interview he confirmed that Elvis is his name because of the King (father, who he never get to know, was a big fan). But in the same interview he says while he is happy to play and proud to be latvian, his home is Lugano and the most important figure in his life was the swiss italian woman who cared for him during his trouble years (14+). He speaks italian, think italian, know every corner of Lugano while he barely knows anything of Riga or other latvian cities.

Link link link

 

[SwissGrog]

Link link link

http://www.rsi.ch/sport/hockey/NL-A...likins-Sport-Non-Stop-01.05.2016-7277996.html


Problem is that most of the production from national tv are country locked. You'll probably need a swiss VPN or IP. Interview is in italian of course.

here is an interview with the swiss italian "mother" that took care of him and sadly died one and half year ago leaving him devastated:
http://www.ticinonews.ch/sport/189244/-vi-racconto-elvis-


I know they are italian but they give a great background on this promising goalie

 

[Yakushev72]

Names are Russian in origin, but there are several reasons why they could be:
1) people who arrived during Soviet times, like Maksims Sirokovs (Maxim Shirokov) parents, who are Russians but you cannot tell by him because he went to Latvian school
2) ''old'' Russians who have lived here for generations, maybe some have already assimilated and only the surname shows that it is Russian in origin
3) given surnames to local peasants... like with Andersons and and other ''sons'' the guys are not Scandinavian, but it's a relic of Swedish times in Latvian when locals were given Swedish surnames, the same with Rēdlihs and other German sounding ones... with Russians it was not as common, as Russian Empire came here already later and there was not much of Russian landed nobility here anyway, but still- some could be named in Russian surnames, some could have changed them to be more ''Russian'' when at that time it was useful.

Like ''Masaļskis'', the surname sounds like a Polish one/Slavic, but I wonder if he has had any Polish relatives at all.

I think you are right. The same phenomenon occurs in Lithuania as well. There was a famous distance runner in the 1980's who was born in Lithuania, who was named Aleksandr Antipov. This would be a common Russian name. But when Lithuania broke off from the USSR, he started using the name "Aleksandras Antipovas." Same thing, I think.