Kostopoulos has shine on for playoffs

[Habsfan84]

For five seasons, through more than 230 National Hockey League games, April has always followed a familiar pattern for Tom Kostopoulos - go home and watch the playoffs on television.
It has never been easy, but the veteran right-winger has bit the bullet each spring.
"I watch them religiously," he said yesterday, after the Canadiens practised at the Bell Centre. "I'm a huge fan of hockey. It's the greatest sport in the world ...

exciting, and I've regretted not being there."
No longer will Kostopoulos be on the outside looking in. Signed by Montreal as a free-agent last summer, the Canadiens became the first Eastern Conference team this week to qualify for the playoffs and were first overall entering play last night. The team has five games left, however, starting tonight at Buffalo (7:30 p.m., RDS, CJAD Radio-800).
"Nobody's content," said Kostopoulos, 29. "We're happy
to be in the playoffs, but our goal is to finish first. We're not just happy to be there."
Actually, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound journeyman might be one of the few players in the Canadiens' dressing room who is just happy to be in the playoffs.
As recently as 2004-05, during the NHL lockout, Kostopoulos was in the American Hockey League, playing for Manchester. He's no playoff virgin, having reached two Calder Cup finals in his career, both with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but has yet to appear in NHL postseason play, having spent portions of three seasons with Pittsburgh along with the last two at Los Angeles.
Kostopoulos thought there was a playoff opportunity his first season with the Kings, but four of their players returned injured from the Olympics. The team went into a late-season slump and, despite a 42-35-5 record, along with 89 points, finished no higher than fourth in the Pacific Division - 10th overall, six points short.
"It's tough to watch when you think your team's going to be there," he said. "You're dying to get the chance to be part of it. But it never was really for myself. Instead, I felt bad for our teams. That's why I'm happy being here and getting the chance. I think it'll be unbelievable ... just the intensity of it. Anyone who plays plays for the ultimate competition.
"I certainly never thought it would take this long. I always assumed I'd be on NHL teams that would get there."
How ironic, then, that Kosto-poulos is part of a Montreal team many expected wouldn't qualify for the playoffs after finishing 10th overall in the conference last season.
Although he has been a healthy scratch 14 times this season, Kostopoulos has played regularly since March 8, at Los Angeles. He has scored six goals and 12 points in 62 games - three of his scores, including one last Monday, against Ottawa, coming while the Canadiens were shorthanded - but his value to this team goes beyond mere statistics.
Kostopoulos has proved to be the ultimate team player, someone who will cover a teammate's back on and off the ice. And he still has a black left eye, sustained during a fight last week against Boston's Jeremy Reich, to prove it.

"I play physically," said Kostopoulos, with a team-leading 109 penalty minutes. "I use my body to bang and create things. I just want my teammates to know I come to every game prepared and work my hardest. Maybe I don't have the most skillful moves, but I give it my all every game and shift."
The Canadiens can put a dagger into the playoff hopes of the Sabres with a win tonight.
"It's not about how they're playing," Christopher Higgins said. "We want a winning attitude and want to be playing our best. We're not looking to ruin Toronto's season. We're just looking to win the game."

Notes - Winger Guillaume Latendresse, nursing a sore neck, remained in Montreal and will receive treatment over the next few days. He hopes to play Tuesday, at Ottawa. ... Head coach Guy Carbonneau hinted seldom-used players, such as Mathieu Dandenault and Patrice Brisebois, could dress against the Leafs. Jaroslav Halak also might start in net against Toronto.