ST. LOUIS — Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon was fined $5,000 for cross-checking St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich in the third period of the Blues' Game 1 win Monday night.
With less than three minutes remaining in the third period, Spurgeon and Buchnevich were kneeling on the ice when Spurgeon intentionally cross-checked Buchnevich in the lower leg. The Blues were leading the game 4-0 at the time and would go on to win by that score.
According to a press release from the NHL's Department of Player Safety, the $5,000 fine is the maximum allowable fine under the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement. The league could have also considered a suspension.
In 2019, the Wild signed Spurgeon, a defenseman, to a seven-year, $53 million contract extension that pays him an average of $7,575,000 per year. Spurgeon was selected as the Wild's nominee for the NHL's Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy this season. The award is given to the "player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey."
The Spurgeon cross-check was not the only play reviewed by the league's player safety department. On Tuesday, Maple Leafs forward Kyle Clifford was suspended one game for boarding Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ross Colton. Three other players, including St. Louis native Pat Maroon, were also fined for actions during that game.
The Blues stole home-ice advantage in their first-round series with against the Wild on Monday behind a hat trick from David Perron and a shutout from goaltender Ville Husso.
Husso stopped 37 of 37 shots to capture a shutout and give the Blues a 1-0 series lead. According to the Bally Sports Midwest telecast, Husso is the first Blues goalie to notch a shutout in his playoff debut and only the 15th goaltender in NHL history to register a shutout in his playoff debut.
The Blues and Wild square off in Minnesota for Game 2 Wednesday night. The game is scheduled to start at 8:30.
