Video: Salavat’s goalie Vitaly Kolesnik assaulted by a fan during a game (Photo © hcsalavat.ru)
During the first period of the KHL playoff game between Avtomobilist Ekaterinburg and Salavat Yulaev Ufa, a drunk fan broke in the guests’ bench and swung a stick on Vitaly Kolesnik’s head. The goalie left the arena bleeding and has been sent to Ekaterinburg’s hospital, where a concussion has been diagnosed.
Igor Zakharkin declared to Sport-Express that “this was the most terrible match in my life. At first we didn’t understand, then we seen that a fan climbed over the glasses and with a stick hit Vitaly Kolesnik‘s head. Only a miracle saved him. I don’t want to think if that person would hit him in the temple. This was a shock for everyone in the arena.”
All quotes translated by RussianHockeyFans.com
Salavat Yulaev asked the league to suspend Ekaterinburg Arena for one match and consequently to play in front of no crowd as a measure of punishment. The league instead gave Avtomobilist a 1 million rubles fine and said that their participation to the KHL might be in jeopardy should these incidents happen again.
Vitaly Kolesnik gave a little interview to Sport-Express. He said that “some fans from the very beginning behaved very aggressively. I and other guys tried to quiet them, but we couldn’t. Then suddenly I seen that a person got close to the ice and had a stick. I avoided the first hit, but then my head was hit several times. And I don’t remember what happened right after.”
A video of the event appeared on youtube:
All quotes translated by RussianHockeyFans.com