Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy, forward Nick Ritchie fined

Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy and forward Nick Ritchie have both been fined by the NHL.

For Cassidy, he was issued a $25,000 fine for critical comments of officiating after game five Monday night.

“This is my take on it: We’re playing a team that has a very well-respected management and coaching staff. But I think they sell a narrative over there that it’s more like the New York Saints, not the New York Islanders,” Cassidy said. “They play hard and they play the right way, but I feel we’re the same way. And the exact calls that get called on us do not get called on them, and I don’t know why.

“They’ve done a great job selling that narrative that they’re clean. They play a hard brand of hockey. But they commit as many infractions as we do. Trust me. It’s [just] a matter of calling them.”

Ritchie, meanwhile, was fined $5,000 for elbowing Islanders defenceman Scott Mayfield in the first period. No penalty was assessed on the play.

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.