Zdeno Chara fined $5,000 for cross-checking Brendan Gallagher in the face

The NHL announced this morning that defenseman Zdeno Chara has been fined $5,000 for cross-checking Brendan Gallagher during last night's 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

The incident occurred in the second period, and both players received minor penalties.

The cross-check:

The $5,000 fine is there maximum amount allowed under the CBA.

I'll be honest: when watching this live, I didn't think there was much there, and it seemed like Gallagher gave as good as he got.

However, on replay, Chara sure got his money's worth. There were a few pokes prior to this, but any time a cross-check makes contact with a guy's face, you're likely looking at some discipline.

Regardless, Chara will pay up, world keeps spinning...