The NHL has fined Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn US$5,000 for punching Jets forward Mark Scheifele during Game 5 of the team’s second-round playoff series.
Benn sucker-punched Scheifele during a scrum at 13:28 of the third period of the game Thursday night in Winnipeg. Scheifele, who sustained a concussion earlier in the post-season, was being held back by linesman Ryan Daisy before the punch, and the two fell to the ice.
Benn was assessed a minor penalty for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct.
The Jets won the game 4-0 to cut the Stars’ lead in the best-of-seven series to 3-2 and force a Game 6 Saturday night in Dallas.
The Jets have yet to win an away game in these playoffs. If they get their first road win on Saturday, Game 7 will go Monday night in Winnipeg. The winner of this series will face the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference final.
