NHL fines Senators, Cousins $27,083 for Warmup Incident

The NHL fined the Ottawa Senators $25,000 and forward Nick Cousins $2,083.33, the maximum allowed under the collective bargaining agreement, for unsportsmanlike conduct during warmups before Game 3 of their playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. During the incident, Cousins shot a puck at Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz, an act interpreted by Senators coach Travis Green as likely intended as playful teasing between former teammates. Both teams’ coaches downplayed the seriousness, with Toronto’s coach Craig Berube calling it 'nothing' and referencing similar lighthearted incidents from the past. The fines were directed to charitable funds, with the Senators' going to the NHL Foundation and Cousins' to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. The incident did not seem to escalate tensions, and the Maple Leafs went on to win Game 3 in overtime, taking a commanding 3-0 series lead.