The National Hockey League has issued disciplinary action following a chaotic conclusion to the second period of Game 3 on Friday night, featuring the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals.
Canadiens forward Josh Anderson and Capitals forward Tom Wilson were each handed a $5,000 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct by the NHL`s Department of Player Safety on Saturday, as a result of their actions during the third game of the series.
A large-scale, old-fashioned hockey brawl erupted after the buzzer sounded to end the second frame. The full-team skirmish began directly in front of the Capitals` bench and continued into the bench area itself.
Anderson and Wilson singled each other out in the fracas, and their fight spilled over the boards and into the Washington bench after the door unexpectedly opened.
The two players were seen wrestling directly in front of the Capitals` coaching staff, with linesman Kyle Flemington caught in the middle, attempting to restore order.
When the dust settled, both Wilson and Anderson were assessed two-minute penalties for roughing along with 10-minute misconduct penalties.
Capitals forward Lars Eller and Canadiens defenceman Arber Xhekaj also received two-minute minor penalties for roughing during the incident.
Tensions between the Canadiens and Wilson had been evident since warm-ups and finally boiled over dramatically. Following the altercation, Wilson was observed making a “crybaby” face directed towards the Canadiens players.
Montreal ultimately won the game with a score of 6-3.
Game 4 between the Canadiens and Capitals is scheduled to take place on Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Tristan Blackwood