The NHL has fined Brandon Hagel of the Tampa Bay Lightning $5,000 for his role in a brawl involving the Buffalo Sabres. This fine is the maximum imposed under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The altercation took place during the second period of their recent matchup.
Details of the Incident
The confrontation occurred at 3:30 into the second period, where Hagel was identified as the aggressor against Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Initially, the chaos began less than five minutes into the game when Hagel and teammate Anthony Cirelli collided with Sabres forward Tage Thompson, executing a hit after the whistle.
Escalation of the Brawl
Following this hit, a substantial brawl erupted on the ice. Thompson attempted to recover while throwing punches, and the benches emptied as players from both teams engaged. Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh and Sabres captain Dahlin broke off to exchange powerful shots. The confrontation resulted in a two-man advantage for the Sabres. Raddysh received a five-minute fighting penalty and an extra two minutes for slashing Alex Tuch, which was served by Conor Geekie.
Penalties Assessed
- Brandon Hagel: 2 minutes for boarding
- Darren Raddysh: 5 minutes for fighting, 2 minutes for slashing
- Rasmus Dahlin: 5 minutes for fighting
- Multiple players received additional penalties during the game
In a remarkable first period, the game saw 70 minutes of penalties assessed, accumulating a total of 100 penalty minutes. There were five fights throughout the game, culminating in a post-game scrum. Both teams will meet again in the regular season on April 6 in Buffalo.
Historical Context
This game marked a significant statistic in NHL history. Tampa Bay and Buffalo combined for 15 goals and 27 total penalties, a feat not seen since the Philadelphia Flyers faced the Montreal Canadiens on February 21, 1994.
As the teams look ahead, they carry the memories of a wild night filled with fights and penalties, showcasing the fierce rivalry between the Lightning and the Sabres.
