The NHL fined Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall $2,250.86 on Tuesday for cross-checking Hunter McDonald of the Philadelphia Flyers during Monday’s exhibition game.
Cristall, a second-round pick in 2023, was ejected from Washington’s 5-2 home victory. His hit appeared to be retaliation for McDonald’s earlier collision with Washington’s Ryan Leonard, sending the forward tumbling into the boards.
“His heart’s in the right place,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said of Cristall after the game. “He’s trying to stick up for one of his brothers. He’s trying to do the right thing.”
Cristall is vying for a spot on a competitive Capitals roster. The 21-year-old scored 60 points on 20 goals and 40 assists last season, his first with the AHL’s Hershey Bears.
The Vancouver native survived Washington’s first round of training camp cuts on Tuesday. The franchise trimmed its roster down to 44 players, sending players such as forward Petr Sikora, defenseman Jon McDonald and goaltender Garin Bjorklund to Hershey.
The Capitals end their preseason slate with back-to-back games against the Boston Bruins and the Flyers on Saturday and Sunday before the regular-season opener on the road against the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 2.
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