SAN JOSE – Sharks forward Klim Kostin spent the first part of his North American professional career trying to prove that he was more than just a fighter. Then, in recent years, he’s had to demonstrate that he deserves a full-time NHL role.
Without question, Kostin has had some difficult and emotional moments, which have continued into this season. But if he continues to play like he did Friday, Kostin will leave no doubt that he belongs.
In his best game of the season, the Russian-born Kostin had a goal, an assist, and a fight for his second career Gordie Howe hat trick in a wild 8-5 win by the Sharks over the Seattle Kraken before a boisterous matinee crowd of 14,795 at SAP Center.
Jake Walman had two goals, and Mikael Granlund, Macklin Celebrini, Timothy Liljegren, Will Smith, and Ethan Cardwell each added one for the Sharks, who had their highest-scoring game of the season and finished their homestand with a 2-2-0 record. Cardwell’s goal was the first of his NHL career.
Kostin’s goal, his first of the season, came at the 16:25 mark of the first period. He also assisted Granlund’s goal, giving the Sharks a 5-4 lead at the 13:10 mark of the second period.
Kostin added six hits for San Jose, which faces the Kraken again on Saturday to begin a lengthy six-game road trip.
“Klim was awesome,” said Granlund, who spent some time as Kostin’s linemate late last season. “When he’s skating, he can be a really, really effective player in this league, and he was going tonight. It’s fun to play with him when he does that.”
The Sharks acquired Kostin at last season’s trade deadline in March, picking him up from the Detroit Red Wings for defenseman Radim Simek. After Kostin’s arrival, he had 10 points in 19 games for San Jose, compared to four points in 33 games for the Wings.
“I got the chance to play with him last season, quite a few games, so I know that guy is hockey player,” Granlund said. “When he’s moving like that, he’s a really good player.”
The 6-foot-4, 232-pound Kostin, a first-round pick by the St. Louis Blues in 2017, came to North America in 2017 and racked up 231 penalty minutes and four fights in his first three professional seasons, all with the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage.
But Kostin, who was only 18 when he came to North America, wanted to show he could do more than drop the gloves and rough up opponents.
“At some point in your career, when you look back and all you do for seven years, you just fought,” Kostin said. “(I’m) a first-rounder, so I’m just trying to play hockey, to enjoy hockey.
“You have to enjoy what you do every day, and if you’re not enjoying your job, you’re unhappy, like, 24/7. Fights (are a) part of the game, but (if I) get into a fight, it has to be for a reason, not just to entertain the fans.”
Kostin would get into seven more scraps between the …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
