Russia goalie Denis Kostin went through seven rounds of the 2014 NHL Draft without being selected. But with a strong outing Tuesday in Game 2 of the 2014 Subway Super Series, he could be on the road to changing those opinions when the 2015 draft is held.
Kostin made 34 saves as Russia was outshot 36-18 but defeated the Western Hockey League 3-2.
The win, in a game played at Keystone Centre in Brandon, Manitoba, gave Russia a sweep of the two games against the WHL. Russia won 3-2 in a shootout Monday at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Pavel Kraskovsky, a 2014 sixth-round pick (No. 164) of the Winnipeg Jets, had two goals and an assist for Russia in Game 2. Andrey Alexeyev, like Kostin passed over at the 2014 draft, also scored.
Joe Hicketts (Detroit Red Wings) and Conner Bleackley (Colorado Avalanche) scored for the WHL. Tristan Jarry (Pittsburgh Penguins) made 15 saves.
In Game 1, a goal by Cole Ully (Dallas Stars) with 2:25 remaining in the third period gave the WHL a 2-1 lead. But with 1:17 remaining Russia's Konstantin Okulov made a nice play in the WHL zone by winning a faceoff, grabbing a loose puck that bounced off the end boards and then beating WHL goalie Eric Comrie (Winnipeg Jets) to tie the game.
After a scoreless overtime, the teams went to a shootout. In the 11th round Gregory Chase (Edmonton Oilers) of the WHL missed on his chance; 2015 NHL Draft-eligible forward Vladimir Bryukvin, who plays for Dynamo Moscow in Russia, scored to give Russia the win.
Nikita Scherbak (Montreal Canadiens), Ivan Fischenko and Krasnovsky also scored in the shootout for Russia. Morgan Klimchuk (Calgary Flames), Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning) and John Quenneville (New Jersey Devils) scored in the shootout for the WHL.
Igor Shesterkin (New York Rangers) made 34 saves in regulation and overtime for Russia, and then stopped eight shots in the shootout.
Comrie made 13 saves on 15 shots in regulation and overtime, and seven saves in the shootout.
The Super Series continues with two games against the Ontario Hockey League, Thursday in Peterborough, Ontario, and Nov. 17 in Kingston, Ontario.
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