Hagel fined for jumping Dahlin in fight-filled Sabres-Lightning game

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel was fined $5K for serving as the aggressor in an altercation with Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin during Sunday's chaotic affair, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Monday.

Hagel got tied up with Dahlin and started throwing punches at the Sabres star 3:35 into the second period. Hagel was assessed a double minor for roughing and remained in the game.

The fisticuffs began less than five minutes into the game when Hagel hit Sabres star Tage Thompson as the whistle blew. The melee resulted in Dahlin and Darren Raddysh dropping the gloves. Hagel was given a minor penalty for boarding.

Sabres recent pickup Sam Carrick fought Lightning enforcer Scott Sabourin in a short tussle later on.

Less than 30 seconds later, Hagel and Peyton Krebs threw down. Bowen Byram and Charle-Edouard D'Astous were also handed 10-minute misconducts and roughing penalties for the sequence.

The rough stuff carried into the second period, as Michael Kesselring dropped the gloves with Erik Cernak off the opening draw. The two tried to fight in the first period, but the officials broke it up.

Four seconds later, Sabres forward Beck Malenstyn and Lightning deadline day re-acquisition Corey Perry went at it.

The Lightning and Sabres are both in playoff position in the Atlantic Division.