Kostitsyn here to stay

 

Mario Perrazzino (HV)

 

Andrei Kostitsyn picked up three assists in last night's 5-3 win over the Islanders. I guess you can call it his "coming out" game.

After the game I walked into the Habs dressing room and I noticed Canadiens' VP of Communications Donald Beauchamp escorting the timid looking Kostitsyn to the dressing room and coaching him on how to address the media. It seems Kostitsyn never saw a throng that large waiting for him. Donald Beauchamp then grabbed a local journalist and re-assured Kostitsyn that if there was anything he doesn't understand due to language barrier or uncomfortable with, the reporter would gladly translate. And he proudly did the translation.

 

Not too far, Chris Higgins was talking about how Kostitsyn played a great game. And talked about what hindered Kostitsyn succeeding before this game was Kostitsyn's lack of positioning properly on the ice, and where the other 4 players were with respect to him on the ice. The language barrier didn't help either. But Higgins was genuinely happy for the "kid" as he referred him to.

 

A few minutes later, Coach Carbonneau was answering questions during his post-game press conference. Kostitsyn's name was brought up. Carbonneau was holding back his enthusiasm for the kid. And Carbonneau implied that Kostitsyn was here to stay. He drew parallels with Maxime Lapierre when he first came up earlier this season and how Lapierre worked hard to prove he should with the big club.

 

So it appears Kostitsyn is here to stay. And just to think, three weeks ago when Christobal Huet was sidelined with an injury, everyone was looking at rookie goalie Jaroslav Halak to be the catalyst on this club, but Halak has faltered recently. But now, Kostitsyn could very well be that catalyst the Canadiens need for their playoff push.