New Jersey Devils defencemen Johnathan Kovacevic was fined $1,996.53, the maximum allowed under the NHL’s CBA, for cross-checking Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk on Wednesday.
The altercation occurred in the first minute of their contest on Tuesday, after Tkachuk delivered a clean hit on the forecheck, spurring Kovacevic to retaliate.
Kovacevic was handed a minor on the play for cross-checking, and the Devils went on to lose the matchup, 2-1 in a shootout.
The 27-year-old was traded from the Montreal Canadiens to the Devils in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick in June of 2024.
Next up for the Devils is a trip north to face the Toronto Maple Leafs while the Panthers return home to host the Detroit Red Wings.
