Bruin-Canadien Brawl Results in $50,000 in Fines

The National Hockey League fined the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens $25,000 each Thursday for a brawl that erupted at the end of Wednesday night’s game at Montreal.

The fines are automatic under Rule 54 (g), introduced this season after a pregame brawl between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Canadiens in last spring’s Stanley Cup playoffs.

The rule specifies that “any teams whose players become involved in an altercation, other than during the periods of the game, shall be fined automatically $25,000.” Further action can also be taken.

The incident started when both teams skated onto the ice as the siren signalled the end of the game. The players were going out, as is the custom, to acknowledge the performance of their respective goaltenders. Shayne Corson of the Canadiens jostled with the Bruins’ Keith Crowder and then bumped into Lyndon Byers.

Byers, who was involved in two separate fights, received 110 minutes in penalties assessed by McCreary. He was assessed a double major penalty for fighting and a double game misconduct. It was the third game misconduct this season for Byers, resulting in an automatic one-game suspension.