Spurgeon gets $5,000 fine for cross-check to Buchnevich's leg

Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon received a $5,000 fine from the NHL's Department of Player Safety for a cross-checking incident in Game 1 against Pavel Buchnevich of the St. Louis Blues.

After the two players collided and fell to the ice while chasing a puck late in the third period, Spurgeon used a two-handed cross-check to slash the back of Buchnevich's prone left leg, just above the ankle. Buchnevich did not appear to be hurt on the play and Spurgeon was assessed a two-minute minor for cross-checking.

Minnesota’s Jared Spurgeon has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for Cross-checking St. Louis’ Pavel Buchnevich.

The fine was the maximum allowable under the CBA for Spurgeon, who is signed through 2026-27 at a cap hit $7.575 million.

St. Louis won the game 4-0 to take a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference series.