Montreal defenseman Alexei Emelin has been fined $5,000 for a butt-end on Canucks forward Pascal Pelletier last night, the NHL has announced.
The incident occurred midway through the second period, but there was no penalty called on the play. The stickwork was in retaliation for a hit Pelletier -- called up from AHL Utica -- had landed moments earlier.
There does not appear to be any video available of said incident, but we’ll try to track some down. Emelin doesn’t have any past history as a repeat offender, but did avoid a supplemental discipline hearing earlier this year after hitting Flyers forward Steve Downie in the head.