Drama is being cooked! Of course it is, because this is hockey after all. The last-second shot at the Amerant Bank Arena as the Montreal Canadiens handily defeated the Florida Panthers brought with it quite the show on the ice that isn’t slipping under the radar. It was the Panthers’ Niko Mikkola at the scene of the crime whose slap shot across the ice in the dying seconds of the game has generated all the buzz… and disciplinary action.

Let’s break it down. In a clip of the incident posted by B/R Open Ice on X, we can see Mikkola let one rip from one end of the ice to the other, with 2 seconds remaining on the clock. The slap shot nearly caught Canadiens defenseman David Savard on the head, and naturally, his incensed teammates weren’t going to let that reckless play slide. They were quick to surround Mikkola, with Brendan Gallagher getting a few hits in before the scrum was quickly broken up by the officials and other players.

Just like the Habs players, the referees weren’t letting it slide either, as Mikkola was given a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct on top of a 10-minute game misconduct, even though there was no time left for him to serve either penalty. But off the ice, the Florida Panthers defenseman was handed a $5,000 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct, which is the maximum allowable amount under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, as per NHL Player Safety.

But if the Habs have revenge on their minds, they aren’t going to have to wait very long, as this was just their first game in a doubleheader against the Panthers. And with the next game taking place on home ice, an icy welcome from the Montreal faithful is surely in store for Niko Mikkola. But even before the home crowd can voice their displeasure, fans have already taken to social media in anger over the decision. The fumes are getting outrageous, and we completely understand why!

Fans call out officials for giving Niko Mikkola a $5000 fine

While the charges against Niko Mikkola seemed reasonable enough all things considered, NHL fans were divided on whether the situation actually warranted the fine. But what is sports without disagreements over contentious decisions after all?

To begin on a positive note, one fan was appreciative of how the officials were able to step in and break the fight up before things escalated further. “The linesman did a really good job on trying to get him off the ice as fast as possible.” It was quite a change of pace compared to how referees are often at the receiving end of fans’ fury in the NHL over the decisions they make or lack thereof.

However, the question remains: If the shot was legal, why was he being penalized for it? As a fan stated, “Play through the buzzer/siren and close the pie hole. This is the NHL so suck it up, buttercup. If he was legally entitled to take the shot, he should be allowed to take it.”  However, what’s important to note is that Niko Mikkola was in possession of the puck for a few seconds before taking the shot, suggesting that it wasn’t just a last-ditch goalscoring attempt but rather an intentional shot meant to disrupt. Hence the fine.

However, this is the NHL and no major decision can be made without protest. “Why are they trying to ruin hockey? The guy took a shot on net with time left on the clock. Fining him is absolutely absurd.” In a similar vein, another fan added, “Guy gets a hit to the head, crickets. Shoots a puck… fined. At least the league has made their priorities clear. If you make a big deal or it’s obvious, then there is likely punishment.”

The irony builds up here, with the NHL’s inconsistency, where referees seemingly make arbitrary decisions on who to penalize and who to not. That said, it is important to remember that Mikkola’s shot very nearly came in contact with Savard and could have ended up a lot worse than it did.

But lastly, “It is 100% unsportsmanlike, but getting fined for shooting the puck with time still on the clock is pretty over the top,” an X user stated. On paper, very much so, but in the context of Niko Mikkola handling the puck for around 10 seconds before deciding to fire off a slap shot that nearly clipped a player… well, it’s no wonder the intent behind the shot was deemed unsportsmanlike. What do you think of the whole situation? Let us know in the comments below.