NHL fines Stars’ Mason Marchment for hit on Maple Leafs’ Jake McCabe

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Mason Marchment got penalized for his hit on Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe after all.

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The National Hockey League fined Marchment $5,000 for interference after the Dallas Stars forward crunched an unsuspecting McCabe in the second period on Wednesday night.

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The amount of the fine was the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.

No penalty on the play was called by referees Mitch Dunning and Eric Furlatt. Was the punishment issued by the NHL a day later enough?

“Not my decision to make,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said on Thursday. “I made it clear (after the Leafs’ 5-4 win at Scotiabank Arena) that I felt it was certainly was a play that should have been penalized in the moment. It’s up to the league to handle it from there, which it seems they did.”

McCabe had a gash on his nose after the hit and required stitches, but he remained in the game.

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Neither McCabe nor veteran defenceman Mark Giordano took part in the Leafs’ outdoor practice at Nathan Phillips Square on Thursday.

“We think (McCabe) will be OK,” Keefe said. “He’s a little banged up, so both he and Giordano took the day (off).”

Rather than risk injury, goaltenders Ilya Samsonov and Martin Jones also were not on the ice.

Keefe had been a little more vocal regarding the Marchment hit during his post-game availability with media.

“I see a vulnerable player that is targeted,” Keefe said late Wednesday night. “I got to think that is the type of hit they do not want to see in the game, guy is bleeding everywhere, needs stitches … Jake asked him for a fight (later) and the fight didn’t happen. But I just like that Jake kept his cool and didn’t hurt the team.”

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TAVARES MAKES A POINT

Captain John Tavares has recorded back-to-back multi-point games for the first time since the first two games of the 2023-24 season.

During the all-star break, Tavares got away to Florida for some relaxing in the sun, but took his equipment. The work/play vacation seems to be paying off.

“I think everyone is probably feeling a little more refreshed, you get a little break, and recharged,” Tavares said. “I have been really happy with my game all season long. Throughout 82, there is always one or two that maybe aren’t always great and you would like to play a lot better.

“But over the course of the year, the foundation of my game has been, I think, fairly strong and it’s good to see things going in and get rewarded.”

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Tavares also has scored a power-play goal in three consecutive games, something he has not done since 2017-18, his last season with the New York Islanders.

Meanwhile, Tavares didn’t have much to say about his current court battle with the Canada Revenue Agency. The dispute involves more than $8 million in taxes and interest the government claims that Tavares owes, relating to a $15.25-million signing bonus he received when he signed with the Leafs in July 2018. Tavares has filed an appeal.

“It’s not weighing on me,” Tavares said. “It’s in the court process and, at this time, I don’t really have any other comment.”

REAVES REJUVENATED

Among the more spirited Leafs at the outdoor practice was winger Ryan Reaves — and he had a couple of good reasons to back it up.

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“I hope coach was watching because I had a goal and an assist,” Reaves said with a grin, “so maybe you’ll see me in overtime soon, we’ll see.”

Unlikely, though there’s no denying that Reaves has been impactful since coming into the lineup with the injuries to forwards Calle Jarnkrok and David Kampf. It’s a nice turn for the Leafs, who weren’t getting much from Reaves earlier in the season.

“I think he has given us exactly what we need from him,” Keefe said. “Lots of energy, pressure on the puck, physicality, he has been around the net, won his shifts.”

Reaves, Keefe and Tavares had their kids with them on the ice for a skate at Nathan Phillips Square following the practice.

“It was special,” Reaves said. “My boy is starting getting big into hockey and he eats this stuff up. He scored five goals the other day and he rubs it in my face. It has been fun.”

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

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