Nick Cousins Faces Possible NHL Department of Player Safety Sanction After Demidov Incident

At the Videotron Centre, the duel between the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators quickly lost the character of a simple preseason game.

The matchup, which was mainly supposed to serve as a test for several young players, took a much more intense turn than expected. Violent and dirty plays multiplied, tensions rose on the ice, and everything ended in an electric atmosphere.

Among the key moments, the incident between Nick Cousins and Ivan Demidov particularly drew attention. A move judged dangerous forced Demidov to leave the game, sparking concern in the Montreal camp.

Here's the clip:

Martin St-Louis didn't mince words after the game, directly criticizing this type of unnecessary behavior during a simple exhibition match.

As Eric Engels reported this morning, the NHL could announce financial penalties following what he calls the "debacle last night in Quebec".

I agree with him - some of the violent plays seen in the game will not go unnoticed by the Department of Player Safety.

It's still too early to know exactly who will be sanctioned, but the actions of Nick Cousins seem to be at the center of attention.

I'm really looking forward to following this story. The Canadiens will face the Sens once again Saturday night at the Bell Centre.