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Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper behind an emptied bench during Saturday's game. Lynne Sladky / Associated Press
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Scott Sabourin and defenseman J.J. Moser were suspended for four games and two games, respectively, following their actions in Saturday night’s penalty-filled preseason blowout loss to the Florida Panthers.
In addition, the NHL on Monday fined the Lightning $100,000, and head coach Jon Cooper got a $25,000 fine. The NHL previously fined Lightning players Gage Goncalves and Roman Schmidt for their major cross-checking penalties during the game.
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The Lightning lost 7-0 to the Panthers on Saturday, in a game that included more than 300 penalty minutes and 16 player ejections. The game was a rematch of a penalty-filled encounter from last Thursday, in which the teams combined for 186 penalty minutes.
After Thursday’s game, Panthers forward A.J. Greer was fined $2,213.54 for cross-checking and roughing Brandon Hagel.
Sabourin was given a match penalty on Saturday after hitting Florida’s Aaron Ekblad into the boards, before “delivering an ungloved sucker-punch” to the veteran defenseman. The NHL, in announcing Sabourin’s suspension, said that’s what led to the match penalty. Moser was punished for two games after hitting Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist into the boards during the game. Moser was also given a match penalty for his hit.
The Panthers were not given any additional discipline following the game. Florida will begin its season at home Tuesday against Chicago. Tampa Bay’s season will begin Thursday night at home against the Ottawa Senators.
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Julian McKenzie is a staff writer for The Athletic’s NHL vertical and is based in Ottawa. He also hosts The Chris Johnston Show with The Athletic’s Chris Johnston. Julian’s work can also be found in the New York Times, FiveThirtyEight, CTV Montreal, The Canadian Press, TSN 690, the Montreal Gazette, The Sporting News and in other publications. Follow Julian on Twitter @jkamckenzie