Canadiens’ Xhekaj, Capitals’ McIlrath fined for warm-up conduct in Game 4

The NHL continued to crack down on extracurricular activities occurring during pre-game warm-ups on Monday.

Apr 28, 2025 - 18:36

Canadiens’ Xhekaj, Capitals’ McIlrath fined for warm-up conduct in Game 4

The NHL has fined the Montreal Canadiens and the Washington Capitals US$25,000 each for unsportsmanlike conduct during warm-ups before Game 4, marking another round of discipline in the testy playoff series.

The league also announced Monday that Montreal defenceman Arber Xhekaj was fined $3,385.42 and Washington defenceman Dylan McIlrath was docked $2,018.23, both the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association, for unsportsmanlike conduct during Sunday’s warm-ups.

The league did not elaborate on why the fines were levied, but Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said after Friday’s Game 3 in Montreal that the NHL had warned both teams about engaging in unsportsmanlike conduct.

The Capitals won Sunday’s game 5-2 to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven first-round series back to Washington for Game 5 on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+).

It’s the second round of fines issued in the series, after Washington’s Tom Wilson and Montreal’s Josh Anderson were each docked $5,000 for their roles in a bench-clearing altercation in Game 3.

The league appears to be making an effort to crack down on displays of gamesmanship in these playoffs.

The league fined the Senators $25,000 and Ottawa forward Nick Cousins $2,083.33 after Cousins shot a puck at Toronto goaltender Anthony Stolarz in the pre-game warmup of Game 3 of their series on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues both received a warning from the league after Blues goaltender Joel Hofer and Jets forward Mark Scheifele attempted to outwait each other to be the last off the ice Friday in their Game 3 warmup.

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