Blackhawk Brawl Nets $5,000 Fines

The Kings and Chicago Blackhawks were fined $5,000 each by the NHL for their roles in Sunday’s third-period brawl between the teams. The Kings, who won, 4-2, have appealed the fine.

“We are very, very disappointed with the decision,” Coach Larry Robinson said Tuesday. “It’s very unjustified, but we’re appealing.”

Although Chicago’s Bob Probert and Jim Cummins combined for 52 minutes in penalties for their role in the fighting that started with 24 seconds left in the game, neither player has been disciplined. The Blackhawks argue that the Kings instigated the fight when they put in their checking line of Ian Laperriere, Matt Johnson and Dan Bylsma, which forced them to do the same with Basil McRae, Cummins and Probert.

The NHL did not take action against Probert for shaking his stick at Johnson during the melee.

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After his run-in with Probert, Johnson was ejected from Tuesday’s game in the first period for chasing down Tampa Bay center John Cullen and getting a game-misconduct penalty. “It was just a sense of frustration on my part,” said Johnson, who was given seven minutes in penalties against the Lightning.