“It’s game within the game. Happens probably a lot more than you think.” The Senators’ head coach Travis Green might not be wrong about his statement on last night’s incident, but fans think otherwise. Hockey’s no stranger to heated moments, but when playoff tension boils over into pre-game antics, fans take notice—and they’re not happy. The Ottawa Senators are in hot water after a warm-up incident involving forward Nick Cousins, who’s now at the center of a league controversy. With the Senators staring down elimination in their playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, this drama is the last thing they needed.
The NHL didn’t hold back, slapping the Senators with a $25,000 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct during warm-ups before Game 3 on April 24. Hockey insider Frank Seravalli broke the news on X, tweeting, “The @Senators organization has also been fined $25,000 by the NHL.” That wasn’t all—Cousins himself was hit with a $2,083.33 fine, the maximum allowed under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for his role in the incident. A grainy video circulating online shows Cousins casually firing a puck toward Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz during warm-ups. While the Senators’ head coach later called it a playful jab at a former teammate, the league wasn’t laughing.
This isn’t the first time Cousins’ antics have raised eyebrows. In his first season with Ottawa, the 31-year-old forward has six goals and nine assists in 50 games. Last year, he was part of the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup run, but his playoff experience hasn’t kept him out of trouble. The bad blood with Stolarz traces back to Game 2, when Stolarz’s slashes on Ottawa’s Ridly Greig sparked offsetting minors. Greig had already crashed into Stolarz’s legs in Game 1, so tensions were simmering. Stolarz even admitted to striking a deal with refs before Game 3: “Watch my back, and I’ll behave.” Clearly, not everyone got the memo.
The Senators aren’t alone in facing NHL discipline. Just last month, Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola was fined $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct in a late-game scuffle, earning a minor penalty and a 10-minute misconduct. Last September, Montreal’s Arber Xhekaj was docked $3,385.42 for instigating a fight with Toronto’s Cedric Pare, racking up a slew of penalties. These incidents show the league’s cracking down, but fans on X are fuming, calling the fines inconsistent and the Senators’ penalty a “joke” given their 3-0 series deficit.
The @Senators organization has also been fined $25,000 by the NHL. https://t.co/u0xfvCxTsR
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) April 25, 2025
As Ottawa fights to stay alive in the playoffs, Cousins’ “playful” puck toss has only fueled the fire. With Toronto one win away from advancing after a 3-2 overtime thriller in Game 3, Senators fans are left angry and wondering if their team can channel this chaos into a comeback.
Fans get angry with Nick Cousins’ situation during the playoffs
Playoff hockey thrives on passion, but when warm-up antics lead to hefty fines, fans unleash their fury. The Ottawa Senators and forward Nick Cousins are feeling the heat after a controversial incident before Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 24. This drama has sparked outrage among fans, who are venting out on X about perceived unfairness.
Fans on X are livid, feeling the punishments are disproportionate. One wrote, “What’s next, @Senators first rounder in 2026 gonna be taken away too? That’s what happens when anyone hurt leafs feelings.” This reflects frustration that the NHL favors Toronto, especially after Stolarz’s unpenalized slashes on Ottawa’s Ridly Greig in Game 2. Another fan vented, “And yet we can’t even get fines for all these crosschecks to the faces of various players. Make it make sense.” This highlights frustration over inconsistent discipline, as Toronto’s aggressive plays—like unpenalized hits in earlier games—seem to slide.
A third quipped, “Prob puts. Serious dent into the new arena plans”, sarcastically exaggerating the team fine’s impact amid Ottawa’s financial pressures. Another jabbed, “Lmao there goes the playoff profit for next years cap ”, mocking the fine’s timing during a losing playoff run. After Toronto’s 3-2 overtime win in Game 3, Ottawa faces elimination. Fans see the fines as a kick when they’re down, fueling debates about NHL consistency.
As the Senators prepare for a must-win Game 4, fans are channeling their anger into support, hoping the team can defy the odds.
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