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Midway through the third period, in a game that was well out of hand, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs reintroduced themselves to each other in a good old fashion line brawl.
LINE BRAWL between the Leafs & Lightning #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/a1vnhkXAaB
— Tim and Friends (@timandfriends) May 3, 2022
After losing his fight to Patrick Maroon, Morgan Reilly picked up a little revenge by when he bloodied Jan Rutta.
Jeez, Morgan Rielly landed a heavy shot on Jan Rutta here pic.twitter.com/19eIFrXjCf
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) May 3, 2022
The fracas led to six misconducts and a bevy of penalty minutes being handed out by the officials. On Tuesday the league handed down some fines to the participants.
Tampa Bay’s Pat Maroon has been fined $2,250, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for Unsportsmanlike Conduct during last night’s game against Toronto.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 3, 2022
Tampa Bay’s Corey Perry has been fined $2,500, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for Unsportsmanlike Conduct during last night’s game against Toronto.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 3, 2022
Toronto’s Wayne Simmonds has been fined $2,250, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for Unsportsmanlike Conduct during last night’s game against Tampa Bay.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 3, 2022
Earlier in the day the Department of Player Safety had mentioned that Kyle Clifford would have a hearing for boarding Ross Colton early in the game. At the time, Clifford was given a game misconduct penalty and the Lightning were awarded a five-minute power play (that went poorly).
Clifford catches Colton in the numbers pic.twitter.com/dX4hEXkxw8
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) May 2, 2022
Later in the day, the DOPS announced their decision after the hearing. Clifford’s defense didn’t hold water and the forward was suspended for one game as the results of his actions. He will not be available for Game Two.
Toronto’s Kyle Clifford has been suspended for one game for Boarding Tampa Bay’s Ross Colton. https://t.co/2X1llmJ5tl
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 3, 2022
“What causes this play to rise to the level of supplemental discipline is the angle from which Clifford approaches this hit, which makes Colton particularly defenseless, combined with his force.”
With Michael Bunting’s return possible for Game Two, Clifford might have been out of the game anyway. If Bunting is still unable to play, expect veteran Jason Spezza to draw into the line-up.