NEW YORK - The NHL handed New Jersey Devils forward Pierre-Luc Letourneau-LeBlond an automatic one-game suspension Sunday for instigating a late-game fight.
Letourneau-LeBlond was assessed an instigator penalty at 15:53 of the third period on Saturday night in New Jersey's 7-2 loss to the Washington Capitals.
He slashed and then tried to fight Washington's Marcus Johansson. A player cannot instigating a fight in the final five minutes of a game.
He wasn't the only one dropping the gloves late in the third Saturday. New Jersey sharpshooter Ilya Kovalchuk traded punches with Capitals defenceman Mike Green with 4:17 to go. It was the first of several fights in the closing minutes between the teams.
Letourneau-LeBlond, who served 21 penalty minutes in the game, will miss Monday's tilt against Pittsburgh.
