Maple Leafs forward Kyle Clifford has been suspended one game from the NHL Department of Player Safety for his hit on Lightning forward Ross Colton in Game 1.
In his first shift of the game, Clifford laid a dangerous hit on Lightning forward Ross Colton. Clifford checked him square in the numbers from behind, resulting in a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct just 6:59 into the game.
Kyle Clifford has received a major and game misconduct for boarding on his hit on Ross Colton. #LeafsForever | #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/HS4FKaQYjh
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 2, 2022
Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe was not happy with Clifford's decision to lay that hit on Colton, saying after the game, "Cliff’s hit is not a hit you can make there."
Keefe correctly predicted before the playoffs that the first-round series between the Leafs and Lightning was going to be "borderline violent", as Clifford's hit was just the start in a spirited affair that resulted in a 5-0 win for Toronto.
MORE: Maple Leafs vs. Lightning first-round preview for 2022 NHL playoffs
The tension spilled over in the third period as a brawl broke out between the two resulting in six players receiving 10-minute misconducts.
LINE BRAWL between the Leafs & Lightning 👊#StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/a1vnhkXAaB
— Tim and Friends (@timandfriends) May 3, 2022
"Borderline violent series." #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/s5qVdyIeUe
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 3, 2022
"The frustration was out of not scoring on the PP," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after the game. "That's where the frustration came from and we're better than that to challenge our energy knowing that in the grand scheme of things if you go 1-for-5 on the PP all year, you've got a pretty decent PP."
The Lightning failed to score on the five-minute man-advantage from Clifford penalty and that was a theme for the night. Tampa Bay went 0-for-5 on the power play.
It's going to be a long series between the two with plenty more fireworks yet to come.
MORE: NHL playoff bracket 2022: Full schedule, TV channels, scores
Kyle Clifford suspension details?
Clifford will be forced to miss Game 2 of the series as a result of his hit on Colton.
It's the second incident this season involving Clifford and the DoPS. He was fined just last month for high-sticking Corey Perry during a Leafs-Lightning regular season game.
In his career, Clifford has been fined three times during his 12 years in the NHL.
Who received fines in Game 1 of the Leafs-Lightning series?
As a result of the brawl in the third period, the NHL Department of Player Safety handed out out a multitude of fines.
Lightning forwards Pat Maroon and Corey Perry, as well as Maple Leafs forward Wayne Simmonds all received fines of $2,250.
Maroon and Simmonds were each assessed 10-minute misconducts during the scrum. Perry was given a 10-minute misconduct, in addition to two separate minor penalties for roughing and a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. In total, he racked up 16 penalty minutes in that incident alone.
When is Game 2 of the Maple Leafs-Lightning series?
Game 2 of the series is set for Wednesday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m.
The game will be on ESPN2 in the U.S. and on Sportsnet in Canada.
With Clifford suspended, it is likely that Jason Spezza will draw into the lineup in his place. Spezza was a healthy scratch in Game 1.
