NHL suspends Sabourin 4 games, Lightning teammate Moser for 2 after chaotic pre-season finale

The NHL has suspended Tampa Bay forward Scott Sabourin four games and defenceman J.J. Moser for two for their actions in the Lightning's pre-season finale against the Panthers on Saturday night in Sunrise, Fla.

Additionally, the Lightning organization was fined $100,000 US and Lightning head coach Jon Cooper $25,000, the NHL said without further explanation.

The Lightning called up six players from their American Hockey League affiliate in Syracuse, N.Y., for the game; those six combined for 77 penalty minutes and five of the six drew either a match penalty, misconduct or game misconduct during the matchup.

The NHL rulings, handed down Monday, means Sabourin will forfeit $16,145.84, or roughly $850 for every second that he played in Saturday's penalty-filled debacle. Moser will lose $35,156.26.

It's unclear when Sabourin will serve the suspension, since the Lightning sent him back to Syracuse on Monday. Sabourin played in only one NHL game last season.

Sabourin, who was on the ice for only 19 seconds Saturday, was given a match penalty for going after Florida defenceman Aaron Ekblad just 2:17 into the game. That hit set the tone for a matchup where officials called 65 penalties, issued 13 game misconducts and handed out 312 penalty minutes.

At one point, the Lightning had three skaters on their bench.

"That was a first for me," Cooper said after that game. "I think we had more coaches than players on the bench at one point."

Moser's suspension came for boarding Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist during that game. Moser was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct.

There were so many penalties called that the on-ice crew evidently lost track of who had been kicked out. Florida's Niko Mikkola was credited with an assist