Vitaly Anikeyenko

Vitaly Serhiiovych Anikeyenko (2 January 1987 – 7 September 2011) was a Ukrainian-Russian professional ice hockey player.

Life Born in Kyiv, Anikeyenko spent the entirety of his professional hockey career with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League, save for a loan spell with Metallurg Novokuznetsk during 2007–08. He was a member of the Russian national team that competed in the IIHF World Championship's under 18 and under 20 levels; winning a silver medal for the country in 2007. Anikeyenko was drafted 70th overall in the 2005 NHL entry draft by the Ottawa Senators.

Death

On 7 September 2011, Anikeyenko was killed in a plane crash when a Yakovlev Yak-42 passenger aircraft, carrying nearly his entire Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team, crashed at Tunoshna Airport, just outside the city of Yaroslavl, Russia. The team was traveling to Minsk to play their opening game of the season, with its coaching staff and prospects. Lokomotiv officials confirmed that the entire main roster was on the flight, including four players from the junior team. The bodies of Ukrainian teammates Anikeyenko and Daniil Sobchenko were repatriated following the crash for burial in Ukraine. The funeral was held on 10 September at Sovskoe cemetery in Kyiv.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2002–03 Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl RUS.3 33 0 5 5 30 — — — — — 2003–04 Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl RUS.3 46 3 9 12 74 — — — — — 2004–05 Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl RUS.3 63 3 15 18 68 — — — — — 2005–06 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl RSL 26 0 1 1 28 1 0 0 0 0 2005–06 Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl RUS.3 22 4 4 8 20 — — — — — 2006–07 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl RSL 25 1 2 3 16 3 0 0 0 12 2006–07 Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl RUS.3 19 2 9 11 63 — — — — — 2007–08 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl RSL 40 4 9 13 48 16 0 0 0 20 2007–08 Metallurg Novokuznetsk RSL 10 1 1 2 10 — — — — — 2008–09 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl KHL 40 2 9 11 44 19 0 2 2 10 2009–10 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl KHL 52 7 11 18 50 9 1 0 1 8 2010–11 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl KHL 52 5 14 19 79 3 0 2 2 4 RSL totals 101 6 13 19 102 20 0 0 0 32 KHL totals 144 14 35 49 174 31 1 4 5 22

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2003 Russia WJC18 6 0 0 0 4 2004 Russia U17 5th 5 0 3 3 11 2004 Russia U18 5th 5 1 1 2 6 2005 Russia WJC18 5th 6 1 1 2 12 2007 Russia WJC 6 0 1 1 10 Junior totals 28 2 6 8 39