Mair Has to Pay for Joining Fray

MONTREAL —  Adam Mair was unapologetic Friday about his part in the brawl that marred the Kings’ 4-2 victory against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

Mair left the bench to join the fray that stopped the game for nearly 20 minutes with 5:22 to play in the second period, skating to the aid of teammate Mikko Eloranta, who was unenthusiastically involved in a scrap with Chris Neil.

Mair, playing in only his third game since his recall from the minors last week, drew 47 minutes in penalties, among them three game misconducts, a 10-minute misconduct, a five-minute fighting major and a two-minute instigator.

As the first player to leave the bench to join the altercation, the 22-year-old forward also received an automatic 10-game suspension, which he will begin serving by sitting out tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

As a first-time offender, he will be docked more than $25,000, 10 days’ pay from his $475,000 annual salary, based on a 194-day season.

He will not be eligible to return to the lineup until Jan. 15.

Mair, the only player to receive a suspension for the brawl, claimed to be unaware that he would pay such a steep price.

“I wasn’t aware that there was any sort of consequence, in terms of protecting your teammates and helping out a teammate in need,” he said.

The melee, which resulted in six ejections and 174 minutes in penalties, started after Andre Roy and King goaltender Felix Potvin got tangled up in the crease, pushing and shoving before Roy punched Potvin.

But the Kings said it was precipitated by the Senators’ brutish treatment of Jason Allison.

As it unfolded, Mair leaped the boards and made a beeline toward Neil.

Mair said, “Once the altercation started, that particular player had cross-checked Felix in the back and sucker-punched [King defenseman] Jaroslav Modry, and then proceeded to attack Mikko [and] he obviously did not want to respond.

“As a player, when an altercation like that happens and the player’s not responding, it’s just common knowledge that you don’t proceed to pummeling a guy like that just for ... getting some sort of point across.”

TONIGHT

at Montreal, 4 PST Fox Sports Net

Site--Molson Centre.

Radio--KSPN (1110).

Records--Kings 14-14-5-2, Canadiens 15-14-5-1.

Record vs. Canadiens--(2000-01) 1-0.

Update--The Kings, whose five-game winning streak has put them at .500 for the first time, face a Canadien team that gave up three goals in 52 seconds of the first period Thursday night in a 5-0 loss to the Bruins at Boston.