Vitālijs Samoilovs

Vitālijs Samoilovs
Samoilovs on a 2000 stamp of Latvia
Born (1962-04-17) 17 April 1962 (age 62)
Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union
Position Goalie
Played for Dinamo Riga
Sokil Kyiv
National team  Soviet Union
Playing career 1982–1991
Medal record
Ice hockey
Gold medal – first place 1988 Calgary Men

Vitālijs Samoilovs (Russian: Виталий Анатольевич Самойлов; born 17 April 1962) is a former Latvian professional ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Championship League. Ethnically Russian, he played for Dynamo Riga and Sokil Kyiv.

The best season of his career was 1987-88, in which he made the Soviet National Team. He was the third-string goaltender at the 1987 Canada Cup and didn't appear in any games. He did, however, play in one game for the gold-medal-winning Soviet team at the 1988 Winter Olympics. Also that season, he backstopped Riga to a surprising second-place finish in the Championship League.

The following year, however, an injury caused him to lose his starting job in Riga to upstart Arturs Irbe and he never again regained his top form.

References