The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced on Monday morning that Tampa Bay Lightning forward has been fined $3,750 for boarding Florida Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen during the team’s 5-1 win in Game 4 on Sunday afternoon.
The incident happened late in the first period and resulted in Hagel being assessed a two-minute minor for cross-checking.
Luostarinen ended up playing more than 13 minutes during the game and was not seriously injured as a result of the play, which was almost certainly a key factor in Hagel only being fined instead of suspended.
Here is a look at the play.
Brandon Hagel with a dangerous cross-check on Eetu Luostarinen. Hagel was initially assessed a major but it was reduced to a minor. pic.twitter.com/gXRp0rtRjK
— Spinorama 🔄 Hockey (@spinohockey) May 22, 2022
Despite the lack of injury the fine is still a bit eye-opening given that Toronto’s Alexander Kerfoot was suspended for two games back in November for a very similar looking play.
In other discipline news, there will reportedly be no additional punishment for Calgary Flames forward Milan Lucic after he was ejected from Sunday’s game for a collision with Edmonton Oilers goalie Mike Smith.
You can see the play here.
😳#StanleyCup | #BattleofAlberta pic.twitter.com/wP9UJkvSgR
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 23, 2022
While there is no official explanation from the league (there typically is not in instances of no discipline), the DoPS presumably sees Smith’s last second turn in playing the puck as a factor in the collision, as well as the ejection being enough of a punishment for Lucic.
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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.