SAN JOSE – Sharks ahead Klim Kostin spent the primary a part of his North American skilled profession making an attempt to show that he was greater than only a fighter. Then, in recent times, he’s needed to display that he deserves a full-time NHL position.
With out query, Kostin has had some troublesome and emotional moments, which have continued into this season. But when he continues to play like he did Friday, Kostin will go away little doubt that he belongs.
In his finest recreation of the season, the Russian-born Kostin had a aim, an help, and a battle for his second profession Gordie Howe hat trick in a wild 8-5 win by the Sharks over the Seattle Kraken earlier than a boisterous matinee crowd of 14,795 at SAP Middle.
Jake Walman had two objectives, and Mikael Granlund, Macklin Celebrini, Timothy Liljegren, Will Smith, and Ethan Cardwell every added one for the Sharks, who had their highest-scoring recreation of the season and completed their homestand with a 2-2-0 document. Cardwell’s aim was the primary of his NHL profession.
Kostin’s aim, his first of the season, got here on the 16:25 mark of the primary interval. He additionally assisted Granlund’s aim, giving the Sharks a 5-4 lead on the 13:10 mark of the second interval.
Kostin added six hits for San Jose, which faces the Kraken once more on Saturday to start a prolonged six-game highway journey.
“Klim was awesome,” mentioned Granlund, who spent a while as Kostin’s linemate late final 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 eventually season’s commerce deadline in March, choosing him up from the Detroit Purple Wings for defenseman Radim Simek. After Kostin’s arrival, he had 10 factors in 19 video games for San Jose, in comparison with 4 factors in 33 video games for the Wings.
“I got the chance to play with him last season, quite a few games, so I know that guy is a hockey player,” Granlund mentioned. “When he’s moving like that, he’s a really good player.”
The 6-foot-4, 232-pound Kostin, a first-round decide by the St. Louis Blues in 2017, got here to North America in 2017 and racked up 231 penalty minutes and 4 fights in his first three skilled seasons, all with the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage.
However Kostin, who was solely 18 when he got here to North America, wished to indicate he might do greater than drop the gloves and tough up opponents.
“At some point in your career, when you look back and all you do for seven years, you just fought,” Kostin mentioned. “(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 extra scraps between the AHL and NHL from 2021 to 2023, so it’s not like he hates combating. However he prefers doing it when there’s a cause, like when he sees an injustice or an opponent takes liberties towards a teammate.
Kostin discovered a cause within the third interval Friday, as he noticed Kraken defenseman Will Borgen ship a tough hit from behind to Granlund.
Kostin then stepped and fought the 6-3, 204-pound Seattle blueliner, giving him his second Gordie Howe hat trick within the NHL. He additionally had one with the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 7, 2022, towards the Arizona Coyotes (now the Utah Hockey Membership).
On Friday, Kostin was excited to play with Granlund and Will Smith, who every had a aim and an help. He added that his teammates have helped him via some powerful instances this season.
“I just realized one thing, not that long ago, that when you go through some tough moments in your career, that’s when you need your teammates the most,” Kostin mentioned. “Obviously, on the ice, but off the ice, too.”
Friday’s recreation was Kostin’s 14th of the season, as he had been a wholesome scratch 10 instances. He was held with out a level in his first 12 video games earlier than he collected an help on a Mario Ferraro aim towards the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday.
Kostin had dressed for six of the final seven video games earlier than Friday, so within the eyes of the Sharks’ teaching workers, his recreation has been trending in the best path. If he can usually replicate what he did towards the Kraken, coach Ryan Warsofsky may have one other harmful participant at his disposal.
“He’s been good the last three or four games here,” Warsofsky mentioned. “He’s skating. He’s confident. It’s amazing what confidence can do for a player, right? He’s had some good games. He’s strung them together. Next thing you know, you can get moved up, playing the second power play (unit) there. He’s doing some really good things.
‘He’s given us another element of our team, which is huge, and that’s what we saw when we traded for him.”
It was one recreation, however it was memorable for Kostin.
“That game was just a little sip of fresh air. You can feel like you’re still alive,” Kostin mentioned. “You can feel that when you go through some tough moments in your career, like 10-15 games, you’re not scoring, you’re not helping your team, no effort. You’re a low-minute player; you’re just hard on yourself.
“But games like that remind you, ‘Hey man, you’re still alive.’”
Cardwell, recalled from the San Jose Barracuda on Thursday after Barclay Goodrow was positioned on injured reserve with an upper-body ailment, began Friday’s recreation on a line with Nico Sturm and Ty Dellandrea.
His aim got here on a partial breakaway, as his shot went off the glove of Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer and into the online, setting off a memorable celebration for the 22-year-old rookie, who mentioned he type of “blacked out” after the puck went into the online.
“I was just super excited,” Cardwell mentioned. “Like I said, I don’t really remember, so I’ll go watch it on video, relive it. It was a great moment and super exciting.”
Initially Printed: November 29, 2024 at 5:21 PM PST
