The NHL decided not to impose penalties following the heated matches between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning that escalated recently.
Tampa Bay’s Scott Sabourin faced a four-game suspension, while teammate JJ Moser received a two-game ban due to incidents during a game on Saturday. Additionally, the Lightning organization was fined $100,000, with head coach Jon Cooper personally fined $25,000.
In a particularly chaotic game, the referees handed out 65 minutes in penalties, totaling 312 minutes across the match, including 13 misconduct penalties. Tampa Bay had seven penalties called against them, and Florida had six. The Panthers reportedly enjoyed 17 power-play opportunities throughout the game.
Things got intense as Sabourin went after Florida’s star player Aaron Ekblad, receiving a major penalty just 19 seconds into the game.
As the referee tried to regain control, Florida’s eighth goal was disallowed after a Florida defenseman, Nico Miccola, who had already been ejected from the game, was mistakenly credited with an assist.
Florida dominated the game, winning 7-0, amidst a backdrop of chaos with a combined total of 186 penalty minutes and 49 penalties in prior preseason games.
Reflecting on the rivalry, Cooper remarked how the box score wasn’t shocking and that it was surprising it took so long for such intensity to manifest. Meanwhile, Panthers player Evan Rodriguez added that the gameplay devolved to a state where “it wasn’t really hockey” by the end.
Looking ahead, this could be an indicator of what the regular season might hold. The two teams are scheduled to face off four times starting November 15th. Florida is entering the season as the reigning two-time Stanley Cup champion.
