NHL punishes Jeff Petry for his sucker punch during his first Penguins’ preseason game

On Tuesday night, defenseman Jeff Petry was in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup for their preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings. Petry did not only see his new team lose the contest, but he also lost money in the making. On Wednesday morning, the NHL Player Safety department announced that Petry had been punished and fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for Roughing Detroit’s Jonatan Berggren.

What the tweet from the NHL Player Safety does not say is that the roughing penalty was called because Petry punched Berggren in the back of the head during the second period last night.

After the contest, Petry attempted to explain the roughing penalty he took by sucker punching Berggren. This is what he told Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Sports Tribune:

A few days after the opening of free agency back in July, the Penguins traded for Petry by sending Mike Matheson in return to the Montreal Canadiens.

Petry is not only a big body but also a guy that can strengthen the top 4 on the back end, however, his big body - and temper it seems - got him in trouble during his first game with the team.

Better make those mistakes now than during the season some will say.