Utah Mammoth defensman Sean Durzi has been fined $5,000 for head-butting Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson.
The play came at 16:32 of Game 1 of the two teams’ opening round matchup in the Stanley Cup Finals. The players came together in a scrum along the boards. Durzi, having already lost his helmet on the play, snapped his head forward, catching Andersson in the face while linesmen Kiel Murchison and Travis Toomey attempted to separate the two.
Rule 47 covers head butts:
The act of head-butting involves a player making intentional contact, or attempting to make contact, with an opponent by leading with his head and/or helmet.
A double-minor penalty shall be imposed on a player who attempts to head-butt an opponent.
A major penalty shall be imposed on a player who head-butts an opponent. When a major penalty is assessed under this rule, a game misconduct penalty must be imposed.
A match penalty shall be imposed on a player who injures an opponent as a result of a head-butt.
Durzi was not penalized for the head butt; he and Andersson received matching roughing minors on the play.
The Vegas Golden Knights went on to defeat the Utah Mammoth 4-2 to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven series. Officials for the game were referees Trevor Hanson (#14) and TJ Luxmore (#21) with Kiel Murchison (#79) and Travis Toomey (#90) on the lines.
Despite the missed head butt penalty in the game, John Otway knows what’s up:
