NHL Suspends Tampa Bay’s Sabourin for 4 Games and Moser for 2 Following Chaotic Preseason Finale
The NHL has suspended Tampa Bay Lightning forward Scott Sabourin for four games and defenseman J.J. Moser for two games due to their conduct in a chaotic preseason finale against the Florida Panthers. The penalties were announced on Monday, shortly after the game on Saturday night.
NHL Suspensions and Fines Following Preseason Finale
In addition to the player suspensions, the Lightning organization was fined $100,000, while head coach Jon Cooper received a $25,000 fine. The league did not provide detailed reasons for these fines.
Details of Player Conduct
- Scott Sabourin will forfeit $16,145.84 due to his suspension.
- J.J. Moser’s suspension results in a loss of $35,156.26.
- Sabourin played only 19 seconds in the game, during which he received a match penalty for targeting Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
- Moser was penalized for boarding Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist.
The game was filled with penalties, setting a record with officials calling 65 penalties, leading to a combined total of 312 penalty minutes. At one point, the Lightning had only three skaters remaining on their bench.
Game Overview
The Lightning called up six players from their AHL affiliate in Syracuse, whose combined performance resulted in 77 penalty minutes. Five of these players received either match penalties, misconduct, or game misconduct during the game.
As described by Evan Rodrigues, a forward for Florida, “It got silly. It got stupid by the end of it.” He noted the experience felt far from a typical hockey match. Furthermore, the on-ice crew lost track of the ejections, causing confusion about active players.
Upcoming Games and Player Status
While Sabourin has been sent back to Syracuse following the suspensions, it’s still undetermined when he will serve his penalty. Ekblad, who was injured due to Sabourin’s hit, practiced on Monday and is expected to play when the Lightning open their season against the Chicago Blackhawks.
