Florida Panthers Sam Bennett fined $5,000 for cross-checking Leafs’ Michael Bunting

The National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced Friday that Panthers forward Sam Bennett has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement, for cross-checking Leafs forward Michael Bunting.

The incident occurred during Thursday’s Game 2 of the Panthers and Leafs second-round playoff series. During the second period, Bennett cross-checked Bunting in the neck; Bennett was assessed a two-minute minor for the play. Bunting was holding his neck and was in discomfort. Bennett was also in the spotlight earlier in the game when he hit Leafs’ rookie Matthew Knies, which resulted in Knies leaving the game and not returning.

Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe spoke to the media after the game and said that the play was “eerily similar” to that of Auston Matthews’ cross-check on Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. That play resulted in Matthews receiving a two-game suspension. Bennett was suspended during the 2021-22 season for three games after an illegal check to the head of Montreal Canadiens forward Cedric Paquette.

The 26-year-old registered 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists) in 63 games in the regular season, to go along with 54 penalty minutes. He has notched four goals and three assists with the Panthers in eight playoff games. Last season during his first year with the Panthers following a six-year tenure with the Calgary Flames, he registered a career-high 28 goals and 49 points in 71 games. Bennett is currently in the second year of a four-year $17.7 million contract; the contract has an average annual value of $4.25 million.

The Panthers took a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Leafs after a 3-2 win Thursday; Game 3 will be Sunday in Florida.