Rod Brind'Amour's wallet is a bit lighter after he criticized refs for their officiating during his team's game vs. the Bruins. David Berding-USA TODAY Sports

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour fined $25K for criticizing officials

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 8/12/20

Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour had a lousy start to the club's Stanley Cup Playoff portion of its NHL resumption.

The Hurricanes fell to the Boston Bruins 4-3 in double overtime on Wednesday, and Brind'Amour was fined $25,000 soon after the loss for comments he made to reporters.

Per an official NHL statement, the league also hit him with "a conditional fine of $25,000, which will be collected, in addition to any subsequent discipline, in the event of similar inappropriate behavior through Aug. 12, 2021."

According to ESPN's Emily Kaplan, Brind'Amour called beat reporters following his postgame press obligation to speak about what he felt was an illegal hand pass that should've disallowed a goal scored by Boston's Charlie Coyle in the second period.

"This is why the league's a joke, in my opinion, on these things," Brind'Amour told The News & Observer. "That one is a crime scene."

Referees deemed that Carolina goaltender Petr Mrazek controlled the puck and negated the hand pass before he lost control and gifted Coyle with the open attempt on net:

This needs to be a good goal.

Charlie COYLE!!! pic.twitter.com/HEH05b370n
— SAVAGE BOSTON (@SavageBoston) August 12, 2020

Brind'Amour argued that the refs failed to give him adequate information on the call to let him know if he should challenge for an illegal hand pass or that the officials missed a stoppage that preceded the goal.

"It should be so easy," Brind'Amour added. "If they said the goalie had it, then it's an easy call. They wouldn't tell you. It makes no sense. I know we weren't the better team, but if that goal doesn't go in, do we win that game? I don't know."

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