Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jared Boll has been fined $2,500 for elbowing San Jose’s Joe Thornton in the head during Tuesday’s 6-0 loss to the Sharks. Here’s video of the incident:
Boll received a two-minute minor penalty for an illegal check to the head, a hit that left Sharks coach Todd McLellan with mixed feelings.
“It created a lot of emotion in the game,” McLellan told CSN Bay Area. “As a coach, you’re always worried about whether the guys will be sleepy and what will trigger the game. Then, [20] seconds in, the guys are on their toes already and ready to play. That was a good thing for us.
“It’s not great that Jumbo got an elbow to the head, but it did wake our group up and we played after that.”
Interesting to note that Boll only received a fine for the elbow, as he could’ve been deemed a repeat offender. He was suspended one game in 2008 for instigating a fight in the final minutes of a win over Colorado, though it’s possible the statute of limitations came into effect (hey, it was four years ago.)
As per usual, Boll’s $2,500 will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.