Washington Capitals forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel faces a disciplinary hearing Saturday following an illegal check to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Cal Foote.

Aube-Kubel received a match penalty 1:56 into the second period of the Capitals’ 5-1 home win on Friday night.

Foote did not return to the game and was not feeling well after the game, according to Lightning coach Jon Cooper.

“Not great,” Cooper said. “He obviously couldn’t come back. That’s a tough hit. That defines the word blindside.”

Lightning forward Pat Maroon and Capitals forward Garnet Hathaway got into a fight as the officials were reviewing the incident and both received five-minute fighting majors and 10-minute game misconduct penalties.

On Saturday, the NHL fined Maroon $2,702.70 and fined Hathaway $4,054.05 for unsportsmanlike conduct. Both amounts were the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.

Aube-Kubel, 26, was skating in just his third game with Washington after being claimed off waivers from Toronto on Nov. 5.

He has no points in nine games this year. He has 50 points (21 goals, 29 assists) in 178 career games over five seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, Colorado Avalanche, Maple Leafs and Capitals.

–Field Level Media