San Jose Sharks left wing Evander Kane (9) argues with a referee after fighting with Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland (5) during the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images
San Jose Sharks left wing Evander Kane (9) skates with the puck under pressure from Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) during the first overtime period of Game 6 of an NHL Western Conference quarterfinal series at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 21, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto
San Jose Sharks left wing Evander Kane (9) argues with a referee after fighting with Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland (5) during the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images
San Jose Sharks left wing Evander Kane (9) is grabbed by a referee after fighting with Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland (5) during the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images
San Jose Sharks left wing Evander Kane (9, top left) struggles with a referee after fighting with with teammate San Jose Sharks defenseman Dalton Prout (5) and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) nearby during the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images
San Jose Sharks left wing Evander Kane (9) argues with a referee after fighting with Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland (5) during the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images
San Jose Sharks left wing Evander Kane (9) is thrown out of the game by a referee after fighting with Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland (5) during the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images
San Jose Sharks left wing Evander Kane (9, top) trips up Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland (5) and hooks him with his stick during the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images
San Jose Sharks left wing Evander Kane continues to yell at the officials after being thrown out of the game for high sticking ad fighting Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland (5) during the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images
San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane was suspended three games without pay for the physical abuse of an official during Sunday’s preseason game against the Golden Knights, the NHL announced Tuesday.
The punishment means Kane will miss Wednesday’s and Friday’s games with the Knights. He also will forfeit $112,903.23 of salary.
Kane received a 10-minute game misconduct and 10-minute abuse of officials penalty with 7:09 to play Sunday at T-Mobile Arena. Kane was jostling with Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland by the Knights’ bench when linesman Kiel Murchison separated them. They skated out to center ice when Kane swung his stick and hit Engelland and Murchison. Kane then circled back around by the blue line and Murchison brought him to the ground before he could get closer to Engelland.
Kane shoved Murchison as he got up.
The NHL rulebook states a player “who deliberately applies physical force to an official solely for the purpose of getting free of such an official during or immediately following an altercation shall be suspended for not less than three (3) games.”
“It’s an automatic rule,” Knights left wing Max Pacioretty said. “In the heat of the moment, you (have to) always control your emotions. It doesn’t make him any different player in my eyes. He’s an emotional player, and that’s a reason he’s had a lot of success. It just is what it is.”
