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Islanders vs. Devils: Matt Martin knocks out Tom Kostopoulos

The Devils forward stood up for a teammate and paid for it.

by Patrick Iversen
Bruce Bennett
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NHL Monday: St. Louis moves into playoff position
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Tom Kostopoulos certainly took one for the team on Monday.

The Devils forward took issue with Matt Martin's hit on a teammate in the first period, and immediately challenged the Islander to a fight. Good on Kostopoulos to stand up for his team, but he probably regretted it a few seconds later.

Martin missed on his first punch but absolutely connected on his second, dropping Kostopoulos to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Watching the dazed Devil look around on the ground while his head was clearly spinning was tough to watch, but luckily he was able to skate away safely. And Martin, for his part, even waved the trainers over as soon as he knew what he had done.

So three cheers for sportsmanship!

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