Mammoth’s Durzi fined for head-butting Golden Knights’ Andersson
Some repercussions followed a rather controversial incident on the second day of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
On Monday, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Utah Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi has been fined $5,000 for head-butting Vegas Golden Knights defender Rasmus Andersson.
The incident came in the first period of a rather nasty game between the two teams in Game 1 of the Pacific Division Semifinal on Sunday night. Late in the first period, a dust-up broke out in the Mammoth zone. In a skirmish that led to Golden Knights forward Cole Smith getting clipped with a high stick, Durzi became entangled with Andersson. With his hands being tied up amongst the linesmen, Durzi decided he would take his frustrations out on Andersson by driving his head toward Andersson’s face.
Sean Durzi with a headbutt on Rasmus Andersson 👀
Andersson immediately began gesturing to the officials that he was head-butted, but the incident seemed to have been glossed over by the men wearing the orange bands, as Durzi was only handed a minor penalty for roughing, the same penalty both Andersson and Brett Howden were given for their altercation with Durzi.
Utah was unsuccessful on the ensuing power play and ended up squandering a 2-1 lead in the third period, falling to Vegas by a final score of 4-2. Durzi picked up an assist on Kevin Stenlund’s goal early in the second period.
The fine is the maximum allowable under the current collective bargaining agreement. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. This is the first time in Durzi’s NHL career that he has received supplemental discipline.
That wasn’t the only story coming out of the opening game between the Golden Knights and the Mammoth. After the final buzzer sounded, Golden Knights forward Nic Dowd, with blood on his jersey, mouthed off to Utah center Logan Cooley, with whom he had an altercation off a face-off late in regulation. Dowd looked to have said, “I’m coming for you, and I’m gonna f**king kill you.”
Game 2 between the Mammoth and Golden Knights is set for Tuesday night, with puck drop scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET.