PITTSBURGH - The Carolina Hurricanes' Ryan Bayda was fined $2,500 by the National Hockey League today, but avoided a suspension for his cross check to the Pittsburgh Penguins' Kris Letang during the third period of the Pens' 7-4 victory Thursday.
The incident in question occured late in the third period of Game 2 of this best-of-seven Eastern Conference final, which the Pens lead 2-0.
Bayda was slapped with a match penalty for his shot on Letang, a perceived attempted to injure which landed him an immediate suspension pending a review.
But after going over the evidence today, league disciplinarian Colin Campbell decided the foul was not as severe as first believed.
“I saw everyone after the cross check,” Letang said of the incident, several hours before Campbell had made his ruling. “I just saw everyone coming at me. They were icing the puck. I was just going back to try to touch the puck. He got his stick up.
“I know they are going to review it. I’m not the one to judge.”
Game 3 goes tomorrow night in Raleigh.
