Starting this season as his first with the Detroit Red Wings, Klein Kostin may have been looking to make an early impression with his physical play.
Late in the third period with the Red Wings up 4-0 over the Columbus Blue Jackets, Kostin moved into the offensive zone and laid a heavy hit onto the Jackets' developing star, Cole Sillinger.
Immediately after, Erik Gudbrandon moves in to defend his younger teammate, and throw down with Kostin. The two obliged the fight, and it was a heavy one - both players landed strong punches before the referees stepped in to break it up.
The fight fired up both benches, and a message was clearly sent to both sides. It seems, in this opening week, that the prevalence of fighting may be making a return to the NHL, as players know it clearly as an intangible benefit to the team, and their fans.