On Monday, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced a pair of fines stemming from separate incidents during Montreal's decisive 6-2 victory in Game 3 on Sunday.
Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj has been fined $3,385.42, the maximum allowable amount under the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), for roughing Buffalo forward Sam Carrick.
The incident occurred as the clock was winding down on the Canadiens' Game 3 victory, which gave Montreal a 2-1 series lead. Tensions flared in the dying moments of the contest, leading Xhekaj to engage with Carrick in a post-whistle scrum that ultimately drew the league's disciplinary attention.
Arber Xhekaj DROPPED Sam Carrick with a right at the end of the game 😳🥊 pic.twitter.com/gcqqoqQMuv
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 11, 2026
On the other side of the ice, the Sabres are also paying the price for crossing the line. Buffalo forward Beck Malenstyn has been handed a $3,515.63 fine, which also represents the maximum allowable amount under the CBA based on his salary.
Malenstyn was disciplined for goaltender interference against Canadiens netminder Jakub Dobes. The collision took place during the second period of Game 3 as Malenstyn crashed the crease, drawing the ire of the Montreal defense and prompting the league to issue the supplemental discipline.