Maple Leafs' Kyle Clifford, Wayne Simmonds fined by NHL DoPS

And Kyle Clifford has been fined $2,500, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for High-sticking Tampa Bay’s Corey Perry.

David Alter noted in his post-game report for The Leafs Nation that both Simmonds and Clifford could be on the hook for discipline from the league…

“Kyle Clifford received a match penalty when he took the butt end of his stick and bonked Lightning forward Corey Perry in the head. That comes with an automatic suspension pending a review. Another issue could be Wayne Simmonds’ charge on Mikhael Sergachev in the third period. However, it did seem like he managed to keep one skate on the ice.”

Thursday night’s game featured a tremendous amount of intensity in what could very likely be a first-round playoff series preview between the Leafs and Lightning. All told, 114 minutes in penalties were handed out despite the fact there was only one fight, between Simmonds and Pat Maroon.

The Leafs sit firmly in second place in the Atlantic Division with a 51-21-6 record, 10 points back of the Florida Panthers, and six points up on the Lightning. Tampa Bay is three points up on the Boston Bruins in the standings and both teams have left games left to go on their respective schedules.