Jamie Benn Takes Maximum Fine For Cross-Check That Heated Up Game 5

The Dallas Stars captain got his wallet hit hard by the NHL on Wednesday. Jamie Benn was slapped with a $2,604.17 fine, the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement, for cross-checking Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman during Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. That money heads straight to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund, and yeah, that's the kind of fine that stings.

The Exchange That Started It All

Here's what went down with 5:15 left in the Wild's 4-2 victory on Tuesday night. Benn and Hartman got tangled up near the Minnesota net, and things got heated fast. Hartman threw a high shove at Benn, but the Stars captain wasn't about to let it slide. Benn fired back with cross-checks, first to the back and then up high around the neck and shoulder area. It was the kind of escalation that officials had to address immediately.

The Penalties and What's Next

Both players drew minor penalties from the exchange. Benn got nailed for cross-checking while Hartman picked up unsportsmanlike conduct, which created a 4-on-4 situation for the rest of the sequence. The penalty itself was one thing, but the fine Wednesday was the league's way of saying that kind of response can't happen in the playoffs, even when you're getting pushed around.

The Wild took that Game 5 victory to grab a 3-2 series lead, and they're hosting Game 6 on Thursday night with a chance to clinch their first playoff series win since 2015. The Stars are in a must-win situation now, plain and simple.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.