NEW YORK – Carolina Hurricanes striker Nino Niederreiter received a $ 5,000 NHL fine Wednesday for interfering with Nashville goalkeeper Juuse Saros, the maximum amount allowed under the collective agreement.
Niederreiter struck Saros in a collision behind the net five minutes after the hurricane-predator match Tuesday night. He was sentenced to less than two minutes for roughing.
Saros remained on the net for the rest of the first period before being replaced by Pekka Rinne to start the second. Predators only said Saros would be reevaluated on Wednesday and did not provide any details on the nature of his removal from the game.
“The referee called for a penalty,” Predators coach John Hynes said. “It was a blow to the head; we’ll have to see where it goes from here. There’s not much else to comment on. What we all saw was what happened.”
Saros allowed two goals after the collision and Nashville lost the game 4-2 after Rinne allowed one in 17 shots. Saros has started 12 of Nashville’s first 22 games, though Rinne plans to take the reins forward.
Kasimir Kaskisuo would then serve as the No. 2 goalkeeper for the predators. Kaskisuo has an experience game in the NHL, which allowed six goals in 38 shots last season with Toronto.