Defenseman Mike Matheson will be relieved of $5,000 for a hit he served to Eric Staal on Thursday night.
In the first period, the Florida Panthers forward tried to join Matheson in Canadian territory to grab the puck. The Montreal defender clearly had the advantage, but slowed down to shoulder his pursuer. The shock, which Staal did not expect, was brutal, and the veteran left the match.
No punishment was awarded on the sequence, while the gesture of obstruction was flagrant. It is for this reason that the NHL’s player safety department justifies the fine.