Apr 15, 2025; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators center Nick Cousins (21) scores against Chicago Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight (30) in the first period at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

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NHL Fines Nick Cousins and Senators for Heated Warm-Up Clash

Tensions between the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs hit an unexpected high before the puck even dropped in Game 3 of their playoff series, and the NHL took notice.

In a rare move, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety handed out fines to both Ottawa forward Nick Cousins and the Senators organization after an unusual warm-up incident. As the teams got ready for action on Thursday night, Cousins flicked a shot toward Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz while the netminder was stretching near center ice. While no one was injured, the moment was clearly out of line, and the NHL wasn’t going to let it slide.

Nick Cousins has been fined $2,083.33 for unsportsmanlike conduct during warmups, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for shooting a puck at Anthony Stolarz. pic.twitter.com/GHnYW9qA0t
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 25, 2025

Cousins was fined $2,083.33, the maximum allowed under the league’s collective bargaining agreement for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Senators, for their part, were hit with a $25,000 team fine.

Cousins had only just returned to the lineup after a long stint on long-term injured reserve due to a knee injury. Since his activation on April 13, he’s played in two of the three playoff games but logged limited ice time, averaging under 10 minutes per contest.

The incident has quickly earned the nickname “Warm-up Gate” and sparked plenty of chatter across the league. TSN’s Chris Johnston suggested that the league’s quick disciplinary response was meant to set a firm boundary, especially with emotions already running high in this playoff battle. The league doesn’t want the bad blood boiling over before a game even begins.

Interestingly, both coaches downplayed the incident publicly. Toronto’s Craig Berube even shared a lighthearted anecdote about similar antics during his playing days, mentioning an old-school exchange between Tie Domi and Ron Hextall. Senators coach Travis Green chuckled too but only for a moment.

With Ottawa on the brink of elimination after falling behind 0–3 in the series, Green took on a more serious tone post-game. “It’s disheartening, to say the least,” he admitted. “Playoff hockey often comes down to inches or bounces, and we were on the wrong end of it tonight.”

Game 4 now looms large not just for the fate of the Senators’ season, but also to see whether the fire ignited before Game 3 continues to burn on the ice.

Imagn Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

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Anamika Shrivastava

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