Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie was fined $5,000 for cross-checking Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL Player Safety announced Saturday. The fine is the maximum allowed under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Washington’s T. J. Oshie fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for cross-checking Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) February 3, 2018
Oshie and Letang were tangled up along the boards late in the second period of Friday night’s tilt in Pittsburgh. Additional scuffling ensued after Letang fell to the ice, and Oshie delivered a cross-check to Letang’s back. Both received minor penalties after the minor fracas.
The whack:
Washington’s T. J. Oshie fined $5,000 for cross-checking Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang last night. #Pens#CapsPenspic.twitter.com/ru9xKB7owm
— Chase Williams WPXI (@chasepwilliams) February 3, 2018
Oshie met with the media following practice on Saturday. Oshie told Samantha Pell of the Washington Post, that he agreed it was a penalty, but he didn’t look down and target nor did he hit Letang in the head.
“I don’t know what replay or secret camera they had,” Oshie said. “I saw the replays they sent me and even for once the announcer got it right and I got him in the back of the trap, in the neck. But it’s just, it’s hard to figure out what you are going to get fined and suspended for and what you are not.”
In the same article, Oshie voiced disdain for the NHL Department of Player Safety. “I figured [head of NHL department of player safety] George [Parros] is old school, and Thornton fought [Capitals forward Tom Wilson], which is acceptable, so I figured that was the reason there was no suspension or fine,” Oshie said.