The second-round playoff series between the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens hit an emotional high at the Bell Centre on Sunday night.
Partly fueling the heightened tensions was an incident between Sabres forward Beck Malenstyn and Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes with 8:28 remaining in the second period. As Malenstyn went hard to the net on a Sabres rush up the ice, he was slightly bumped by Habs forward Zachary Bolduc, and absolutely leveled Dobes.
Dobes was slow to get up as Malenstyn nearly landed on top of the goal frame. Bolduc and the rest of the Canadiens on the ice responded with an extended melee.
After the dust settled, Malenstyn was assessed a two-minute minor penalty for goaltender interference, Bolduc received a two-minute minor for roughing, and Sabres forward Jordan Greenway got a two-minute minor for roughing. Dobes was not injured on the play and remained in the game, making 26 saves in Montreal’s eventual 6-2 victory.
Malenstyn, who suffered a scary skate cut to his hand in Game 2 and is now playing with stitches, did not escape with just his on-ice punishment, though, as the NHL’s Department of Player Safety stepped in on Monday to fine the rambunctious winger the maximum allowable under the CBA ($3,515.63) for his actions.
The incident sparked further rough stuff during the game as nine more penalties and four ten-minute misconducts were assessed throughout the rest of regulation. Malenstyn was also not the only player to have their wallet feel a little lighter after the matchup.
Montreal’s Arber Xhekaj also drew the ire of the NHL’s DoPS, as he caught a similar fine ($3,385.42) for roughing Buffalo’s Sam Carrick at the final horn of the third period.
With their win in Game 3, the Canadiens went up 2-1 in the series. They’ll be back at home for Game 4 on Tuesday night, with the chance to put the Sabres on the brink of elimination.
