Vladimir Kopat

Vladimir Kopat (born April 23, 1971 in Minsk) is a Belarusian retired defenceman who is currently the assistant coach of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and of the Kazakhstani National Team.
Kopat is best known for the goal he scored in the 2002 Olympic Games' quarterfinals against Sweden. With 17:35 minutes played in a game tied 3-3, Kopat skated in the neutral zone and took a shot half-way between the red line and Sweden's blue line. The shot hit Tommy Salo's mask, bounced on his back then entered the net, a totally unexpected twist of fate for the Tre Kronor, who had been dominant throughout the whole tournament, unlike Belarus, who entered the tournament as an underdog. That win was most certainly one of the greatest moment in the history of ice hockey in that country.
Kopat played for Belarus at the 1994 and 1995 World Championships "Pool C", 1996 World Championship "Pool B", 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2006 World Championships, 2002 Olympics and at the 2002 World Championship Division I.
Kopat was the assistant coach of Belarus at the 2016 World U18 Championship Division IA, 2017 World U18 Championship and at the 2017 World Junior Championship Division IA. He was also the assistant coach of Kazakhstan at the 2019 World Championship Division IA.
== Team staff career ==
Role 	Team 	Years
Assistant coach	HK Gomel 	2011 - 2013
Assistant coach	Dinamo Minsk 	2013 - 2016
Assistant coach	Belarusian National U18 Team 	2016 - 2017
Assistant coach	Belarusian National Junior Team	2017
Assistant coach	Amur Khabarovsk 	2017 - 2018
Assistant coach	Barys Nur-Sultan 	2018 - 2020
Assistant coach	Kazakhstani National Team 	2019 - present
Assistant coach	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 	2020 - present
==External Links==
* Kopat's career at eurohockey.net
* Kopat's goal 
Kopat, Vladimir
Kopat, Vladimir
Kopat, Vladimir
Kopat, Vladimir
Kopat, Vladimir
Kopat, Vladimir
Kopat, Vladimir
Kopat, Vladimir
Kopat, Vladimir
Kopat, Vladimir
Kopat, Vladimir
Kopat, Vladimir