Valeri Zelepukin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Valeri Zelepukin |
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| Born | 17 September 1968 Voskresensk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
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| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb) | ||
| Position | Left wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | USSR Khimik Voskresensk CSKA Moscow NHL New Jersey Devils Edmonton Oilers Philadelphia Flyers Chicago Blackhawks RSL Ak Bars Kazan SKA Saint Petersburg Khimik Mytishchi |
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| National team |  Soviet Union and Russia |
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| NHL Draft | 221st overall, 1990 New Jersey Devils |
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| Playing career | 1984–2006 | ||
Valeri Mikhailovich Zelepukin (born September 17, 1968) is a former professional ice hockey player from Russia. He played as a left wing. Valeri was known for his time in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for teams like the New Jersey Devils, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Chicago Blackhawks. His career in the NHL lasted from 1991 to 2001.
Valeri was born in a town called Voskresensk in what was then the Soviet Union. The New Jersey Devils picked him in the 1990 NHL Draft. He was the 221st player chosen overall. During his NHL career, Valeri played in 595 regular season games. He scored 117 goals and made 177 assists, adding up to 294 points. He also spent 527 minutes in the penalty box.
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Valeri Zelepukin's Famous Goal
Valeri Zelepukin scored a very memorable goal while playing for the New Jersey Devils. This happened in Game 7 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. The Devils were playing against their big rivals, the New York Rangers.
The Game-Tying Moment
The Rangers were leading the game 1-0. There were only 7.7 seconds left in the game. Valeri's teammate, Claude Lemieux, passed the puck to him right in front of the net. Valeri tried a couple of times. Finally, he shot the puck past the Rangers' goalie, Mike Richter. This tied the game!
After the Goal
Mike Richter argued with the referee, Bill McCreary. He said that Valeri had interfered with him. But the goal still counted. Even though Valeri's goal tied the game, the Rangers ended up winning. Stéphane Matteau scored a dramatic goal in double-overtime. This win sent the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Finals. They went on to win their first Stanley Cup in 54 years.
Devils' Comeback Win
But Valeri and the Devils got their revenge the very next year. In the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals, they won their first championship. They beat the Detroit Red Wings in four straight games. It was a huge moment for the team!
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Valeri Zelepukin also tried coaching. He coached a team called Metallurg Novokuznetsk in the KHL league. This was during the 2016-17 season. However, his time as a coach there was short. He was fired after the team had a tough start, with only one win in nine games.
International Hockey Career
Valeri Zelepukin also played for his country, Russia, in international hockey tournaments. He represented the Soviet Union and later the Russian national team.
Olympic Medal
One of his biggest achievements was winning a silver medal. This happened at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. He played for the Russian team in the men's ice hockey tournament. It was a great honor to represent his country and win an Olympic medal.
| Olympic medal record | ||
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Representing  Russia |
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| Men's Ice hockey | ||
| Silver | 1998 Nagano | Team |
