NEW YORK – Carolina Hurricanes forward Nino Niederreiter was fined $ 5,000 by the NHL on Wednesday for meddling with Nashville goalkeeper Juuse Saros, the maximum amount allowed under the collective bargaining agreement.
Niederreiter hit Saros high on Tuesday-evening in a collision behind the net, five minutes after the Hurricanes-Predators game. He received a two-minute minor penalty for roughening.
Saros stayed in for the rest of the first period just before being replaced by Pekka Rinne to start the second. The Predators only said that Saros would be re-evaluated on Wednesday, and did not provide details on the nature of his removal from the game.
“The referee called for a penalty,” said Predators coach John Hynes. “It was a blow to the head; we’ll have to see where it comes from. There is not much more to be said. What we all saw was what happened. ‘
Saros gave up two goals after the collision and Nashville lost the game 4-2 after Rinne gave up one in 17 shots. Saros has started 12 of Nashville’s first 22 games, though Rinne thinks he’s taking the reins.
Kasimir Kaskisuo would then serve as the Predators’ second goalkeeper. Kaskisuo has one game of NHL experience, scoring six goals out of 38 shots with Toronto last season.