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NHL fines Lundell and Sabourin for actions in penalty-heavy Panthers-Lightning game

NHL fines Lundell and Sabourin for actions in penalty-heavy Panthers-Lightning game | iNFOnews.ca
Florida Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis, top, and Tampa Bay Lightning center Yanni Gourde, bottom, fight during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Rhona Wise)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The NHL fined Florida’s Anton Lundell and Tampa Bay’s Scott Sabourin for their actions in the game between the Panthers and Lightning on Saturday night, one where the teams combined for the highest penalty total the league has seen since 2011.

Lundell was fined $5,000 for high-sticking Tampa Bay forward Jake Guentzel late in the second period. Sabourin was fined $2,018.23 for slashing Florida defenseman Niko Mikkola early in the third period.

Both fines were the maximum allowed by terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The money goes to the league’s emergency assistance fund for players.

The teams combined to commit 45 penalties — 26 by Tampa Bay, 19 by Florida. No NHL regular season game has had more penalties called since the New York Islanders (34) and Pittsburgh (31) combined for 65 penalties on Feb. 11, 2011.

Tampa Bay’s 26 penalties were a franchise regular season record. Florida’s 19 penalties tied the fourth-most in club history for a regular season contest. The teams combined for 136 penalty minutes, second-most in the NHL this season; Edmonton and Calgary racked up a combined 154 on Tuesday.

Tampa Bay won the game, 4-2.

“Rivalry games, they’re intense hockey,” Guentzel said after the game.

Sabourin lost money for the second time this season following a Lightning-Panthers game. He forfeited $16,145.84 in salary by getting suspended four games for his role in a preseason penalty-fest between the clubs in October, one where the sides committed 65 penalties — 36 by Tampa Bay, 29 by Florida — and racked up 322 penalty minutes.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

NHL fines Lundell and Sabourin for actions in penalty-heavy Panthers-Lightning game | iNFOnews.ca
Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers players fight during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Rhona Wise)
NHL fines Lundell and Sabourin for actions in penalty-heavy Panthers-Lightning game | iNFOnews.ca
Linesman David Brisebois, right, escorts Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand (63) to the penalty box during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Rhona Wise)
NHL fines Lundell and Sabourin for actions in penalty-heavy Panthers-Lightning game | iNFOnews.ca
Linesman David Brisebois (96) tries to break up a fight between Florida Panthers center Eetu Luostarinen, center, and Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Rhona Wise)
NHL fines Lundell and Sabourin for actions in penalty-heavy Panthers-Lightning game | iNFOnews.ca
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) checks Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola (77) into the boards during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Rhona Wise)

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The Associated Press

Tim Reynolds

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

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