Vitaly Kolesnik

Vitali Nikolaevich Kolesnik (; born August 20, 1979) is a Kazakhstani former professional ice hockey goaltender, who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Colorado Avalanche and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
==Playing career==
Kolesnik began his career with Kazzinc-Torpedo and spent five years with the club from Ust-Kamenogorsk before being signed as a free agent by the Colorado Avalanche on August 16, 2005. Unlike the vast majority of NHL players, Kolesnik was never drafted.
He played for the Avalanche's minor league hockey team, the Lowell Lock Monsters, where he logged a 2.80 goals against average (GAA) and a .916 save percentage with a pair of shutouts. His first game played with the Colorado Avalanche was on December 7, 2005, in which they beat the Boston Bruins 4–1. On December 28, 2005, the Colorado Avalanche announced that Kolesnik was being sent back to Lowell, after starting seven NHL games, going 3–3–0, with a 3.29 goals against average and a .887 save percentage. Earlier in the week, on December 21, it was announced that Kolesnik was selected to represent his home country of Kazakhstan in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. He got to play in two games (4–1 loss to USA, 2–1 loss to Slovakia), and was the first star for Kazakhstan in both games.
Kolesnik was recalled again by the Avalanche on March 9, 2006 to dress as a backup to Peter Budaj. Kolesnik finished the season with Colorado, appearing in eight games.
For the 2006–07 season, Kolesnik, with the ambition to become a starting goaltender, left North America to play for Khimik Mytishchi in the Russian Superleague (RSL). On April 28, 2009, he left Mytishi Khimik and signed with league rival Avangard Omsk. After only three months with Avangard, Kolesnik joined Salavat Yulaev Ufa and signed a three-year contract. He finished the first regular season of the KHL with the lowest goals against average amongst all goaltenders with 1.59. During the opening round playoffs in the 2009–10 season against Avtomobilist, Kolesnik became the victim of a bizarre random assault when an inebriated Ekaterinburg fan from the stands swung a stick repeatedly over the Ufa team bench and concussed Kolesnik. Kolesnik left the game as Avtomobilist won 4–3 and were subsequently fined. He went on to win the Gagarin Cup with Salavat Yulavev Ufa during the 2010–11 season.
After the completion of his three-year contract, Kolesnik left to sign as a free agent with the rebuilt Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, for the 2012–13 season on May 3, 2012. Kolesnik played his last season with Barys Astana in 2016-2017 before retiring.
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	W 	L 	T/OT 	MIN 	GA 	SO 	GAA 	SV% 		GP 	W 	L 	MIN 	GA 	SO 	GAA 	SV%
1998–99 	Kazzinc-Torpedo 	VHL 		2 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2001–02 	Kazzinc-Torpedo 	VHL 		1 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	1.00 	— 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	Kazzinc-Torpedo 	VHL 		25 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	2.10 	— 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2003–04 	Kazzinc-Torpedo 	VHL 		35 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	1.67 	— 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2004–05 	Kazzinc-Torpedo 	VHL 		42 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	1.67 	— 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2005–06 	Lowell Lock Monsters	AHL 		29 	15 	13 	0 	1717 	80 	3 	2.80 	.918 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2005–06 	Colorado Avalanche 	NHL 		8 	3 	3 	0 	370 	20 	0 	3.24 	.888 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2006–07 	Khimik Moscow Oblast	RSL 		38 	— 	— 	— 	2006 	82 	4 	2.45 	— 		9 	— 	— 	503 	16 	3 	1.91 	—
2007–08 	Khimik Moscow Oblast	RSL 		51 	— 	— 	— 	2684 	101 	3 	2.26 	— 		5 	— 	— 	269 	10 	0 	2.23 	—
2008–09 	Atlant Moscow Oblast	KHL 		30 	15 	5 	6 	1322 	35 	5 	1.59 	.945 		1 	0 	0 	7 	0 	0 	0.00 	1.000
2009–10 	Salavat Yulaev Ufa 	KHL 		34 	17 	6 	6 	1622 	60 	5 	2.22 	.908 		4 	1 	3 	272 	8 	0 	1.76 	.934
2010–11 	Salavat Yulaev Ufa 	KHL 		27 	15 	4 	5 	1315 	50 	3 	2.28 	.922 		4 	1 	2 	148 	2 	1 	0.81 	.975
2011–12 	Salavat Yulaev Ufa 	KHL 		20 	6 	8 	3 	1016 	53 	1 	3.13 	.898 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2012–13 	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 	KHL 		15 	6 	7 	2 	830 	34 	2 	2.46 	.920 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2013–14 	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 	KHL 		19 	7 	4 	5 	955 	24 	3 	1.51 	.946 		1 	0 	0 	20 	1 	0 	3.00 	.917
2014–15 	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 	KHL 		28 	13 	6 	7 	1456 	44 	1 	1.81 	.932 		3 	0 	2 	139 	8 	0 	3.47 	.881
2015–16 	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 	KHL 		26 	15 	7 	3 	1506 	50 	2 	1.99 	.919 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2016–17 	Barys Astana 	KHL 		6 	0 	3 	0 	230 	16 	0 	4.17 	.855 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
KHL totals	KHL totals 	KHL totals		205 	93 	48 	37 	10,253 	366 	22 	2.14 	.922 		13 	2 	6 	586 	19 	1 	1.94 	.933
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		8 	3 	3 	0 	370 	20 	0 	3.24 	.888 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==References==
== External links ==
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Kolesnik, Vitaly
Kolesnik, Vitaly
Kolesnik, Vitaly
Kolesnik, Vitaly
Kolesnik, Vitaly
Kolesnik, Vitaly
Category:IIHF Player