On Sunday night, the New Jersey Devils were shut out 2-0 by the Vegas Golden Knights in a heartbreaking loss, with complete pandemonium toward the end of the game. With less than two minutes left in the third period, Jack Hughes went down the tunnel after an awkward collision with the boards.
When the refs refused to issue a penalty, head coach Sheldon Keefe went off on the officials, demanding that there should have been a call. As a result, Keefe not only earned himself a minor bench penalty, but he was also ejected with a game misconduct.
#NJDevils coach Sheldon Keefe fined $25,000 after ejection Sunday in Vegas pic.twitter.com/K0fdsAM4tY
— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) March 5, 2025
When Keefe spoke to the media afterward, he tried to make light of the situation but ultimately stood by his decision to confront the referee. He claimed that since the Devils were penalized for a similar infraction earlier, a call should have been made, especially since Hughes was injured on the play. On Wednesday afternoon, NHL Public Relations announced that Keefe was fined $25,000 for his actions.
Ironically, this was not Keefe’s first infraction in a game against the Golden Knights. Last season, the Toronto Maple Leafs fell 6-2 to Vegas, and he had a similar outburst after Mitch Marner was called for tripping near the end of the third. He was then fined for “unprofessional conduct directed at officials.”
While having a head coach thrown out is never an ideal situation, one thing is clear: Keefe is willing to fight for his team, and Devils fans should be happy to have such a spirited coach behind the bench.
