Last night the Tampa Bay Lightning traveled to Toronto for the first time since they defeated them in game seven of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. Tensions were going to be high for this game as both teams are neck and neck for the second spot in the Atlantic Division.
Adding fuel to the fire, Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper roasted the Leafs over their game seven loss during his media availability prior to the matchup.
Today the NHL has announced a punishment for Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev.
During last night’s games, Sergachev delivered a vicious two-handed slash on Leafs forward Michael Bunting. While there was no call on the ice, the NHL followed up with the discipline to signal that those kinds of plays will not be tolerated.
The NHL’s Player Safety Department announced his punishment:
“Tampa Bay’s Mikhail Sergachev has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for Slashing Toronto’s Michael Bunting”.
While $5,000 sounds like a lot of money, it is peanuts to Sergachev, who just signed an 8-year $68 million contract extension with the Lightning this past July.
The Leafs certainly will not forget about this one, as the two teams continue to spark a divisional rivalry that is always worth watching. The Leafs came away with the last laugh as they beat the Lightning 4-1 and now lead them by five points in the standings.
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