Monday afternoon, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced that Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny was being fined $2,419.35 for cross-checking Cedric Paquette right in the kisser.
Washington’s Michal Kempny fined $2,419.35, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for cross-checking Tampa Bay’s Cedric Paquette.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 14, 2018
The incident occurred at 6:55 of the third period during the Capitals’ 6-2 blowout victory in Game Two. Paquette and Kempny were both battling for position in the crease as Ryan McDonagh unleashed a shot from the point. A frustrated Kempny shoved Paquette away, but his lumber connected with the side of Lightning forward’s face.
Paquette crumpled to the ice.
Kempny was given a two-minute minor for cross-checking. It was one of two minors he took on the evening.
“That’s an easy call to make,” Mike Milbury said at the time. “That easily could have been more than two minutes.”
DoPS apparently agreed.
Paquette blew a kiss to Capitals players as he skated back to the Lightning’s bench.
When you're appreciative of all the love you're getting from the Caps bench pic.twitter.com/B8dyHrs4Ux
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) May 14, 2018
More from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety:
Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny has been fined $2,419.35, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for cross-checking Tampa Bay Lightning forward Cedric Paquette during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final in Tampa on Sunday, May 13, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.
The incident occurred at 6:55 of the third period. Kempny was assessed a minor penalty for cross-checking.
The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
