Habster:
First off, I would like to apologize to All Habs readers for not writing many articles recently…….spring has sprung and like any typical homeowner, I have to maintain the upkeep of the homestead!!! I would like to thank my fellow All Habs collaborator, Rocket for stepping up his work!!!
Kosts and effect!!
What are the odds of having three players on an NHL roster whose last names start with the letters “Kost”? I would say pretty remote!! What would be the odds of these three “Kosts” playing extremely important roles in their team’s playoff success? Once again, the answer would probably be very remote.
There is no question that the Flying Kostitsyns and Tom Kostopoulos are playing with great desire and total determination in these playoffs.
First, it’s Sergei getting absolutely crushed by Derian Hatcher behind the Flyers net and then quickly getting up in a blink of an eye to retrieve the puck for a scoring chance. He has been buzzing all over the ice since being called up from Hamilton on December 12th and hasn’t looked back since.
It’s not a coincidence the Canadiens started to play better when Sergei was inserted into the lineup after his call up. Guy Carbonneau finally had another talented winger to compliment Saku Koivu’s skill set and heart. The chemistry and success of the Higgins/Koivu/Kostitsyn line gave the Habs another offensively talented line to take some pressure off the KPK line.
Sergei played a solid two way game all season for a 21 year old rookie (GP-52 G-9 A-18 PT- 27 +9 and a team high shooting % of 18.4) and displayed some great playmaking/passing skills. His regular season success has continued into the playoffs where he has 7 points (G-3 A-4) and a very respectable +4 rating. His playoff penalty total of 14 minutes needs to improve but it does displays his aggressive play which shouldn’t be discouraged.
As I’ve said many times in previous articles or comments about Sergei Kostitsyn , he’s going to be a true warrior who can be utilized in so many game situations. The kid can play and has the heart to go with it………..he completely defies the stereotypical image of Russian players as being lazy, unmotivated and selfish players.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree when it comes to the brother act. Andrei also demonstrated his determination in Thursday’s 4-3 OT win over the Flyers when he was checked hard to the ice at the Habs blueline but was able to quickly get up and rush up the ice with his brother to score the Canadiens first goal of the game.
Andrei has been front and center all season with a coming out party this year. He has played extremely well in both ends of the ice with a flare for the dramatic, with numerous highlight reel goals throughout the season (AK46 – Andrei Kostitsyn Compilation).
There were some quiet concerns within the Canadiens organization regarding how effective Andrei Kostitsyn would be as an NHL player.
There were language, cultural and health (Andrei has a medically treated form of epilepsy) issues/hurdles that needed to be overcome before the organization could determine if they had made the right choice when picking him as their 10th overall selection in the 2003 NHL draft.
It may have taken Andrei a little longer to get to the NHL and acclimatize himself to the North American style of play but he certainly has justified the Canadiens decision to draft him after a solid regular season ( GP- 78 G-26 A-27 Pt-53 +15) and playoffs (GP-8 G-4 A-2 -2).
The third “Kost” may not have the skill set or finesse of the Flying Kostitsyns but he definitely makes up for it with so much grit, loyalty and heart. Tom Kostopoulos was an after thought when he was acquired in the off season as an UFA with many hockey pundits (especially in Montreal) wondering aloud why Bob Gainey had wasted $1.8 million over 2 years for a “journeyman” role player.
How perspectives can change in a matter of months?! While Tom Kostopoulos had his ups and downs throughout the regular season, there was no questioning his heart and work ethic when he hit the ice. One of his junior coaches nicknamed “Nonstopoulos” for a very good reason, the guy never stops hustling or hitting and is relentless in his pursuit of the puck.
I’ve always admired the play of Kostopoulos when he was with the LA Kings and their AHL farm team, the Manchester Monarchs. He was a decent scorer when he played in the AHL and I thought his acquisition was a nice addition to the Canadiens who needed his grit and all out hustle (see my August 19th, 2007 article: Tom Kostopoulos: The ultimate team ).
Tom has also come to the defense of his teammates both on and off the ice without regard to his own well being. Whether it’s fighting a player who out weighs him and is a true enforcer or coming forward to help a teammate who make a foolish decision off the ice, Tom Kostopoulos is the consummate team player that every team needs.
Along with linemates Steve Begin and Bryan Smolinski, Kostopoulos has stepped up his game to a new level and developed some amazing chemistry with his linemates. He presently has 4 points in 8 games with a + 4 rating and his line has played the most consistent two way game throughout the playoffs (Lines stats: GP-8 G-4 A-6 PT-10 +11).
Even though Sergei, Andrei and Tom are different players in their own right, they have formed a bound beyond the similarities in the spelling of their names……..they have raised the level of their games with each of their contributions being very important elements in the Canadiens success during the current playoff run.