Shea Weber Hit: Weber Fined $2,500 for Hit on Henrik Zetterberg

Shea Weber has been fined $2,500 by the NHL for his hit to the head of Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg in the waning moments of their Game 1 playoff matchup, the league announced today.

Many thought Weber would be suspended at least one game, but the league thought differently, releasing the following statement via NHL.com:

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"We felt this was a reckless and reactionary play on which Weber threw a glancing punch and then shoved Zetterberg's head into the glass," said NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety and Hockey Operations Brendan Shanahan.

"We reached out to Detroit following the game and were informed that Zetterberg did not suffer an apparent injury and should be in the lineup for Game 2."

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With 5.1 seconds left in the third period and the Predators up 3-2, a faceoff took place just to the right of the Nashville net. The puck was won back to the corner by the Predators' Paul Gaustad and was pinned against the boards by Weber.

Zetterberg converged on Weber in an attempt to free the puck, and that's when Weber delivered two blows to his head. The first can be described as more of a "punch," while the second was a "slam," as Weber grabbed the back of Zetterberg's helmet and thrust it into the glass.

The Red Wings star seemed a bit dazed, resting on one knee for a short period after the hit, but he did not appear to suffer an injury on the play.

Surprising, considering the size of the two men—Weber measures 6'4", 232 pounds, while Zetterberg is 6'1" and 195 pounds.

When asked about the hit and whether it warranted a suspension, Weber told reporters (from Fox Sports Tennessee), "It’s playoffs," Weber said. "I don’t know, he hit me from behind, so we’ll see."

Weber was given a two-minute roughing penalty for that hit, but pundits from coast to coast expected more supplementary discipline to be handed down.

As for the game itself, Nashville received two goals from rookie Gabriel Bourque, one from the newly acquired Gaustad and 35 saves from goaltender Pekka Rinne for the 3-2 victory.

Nashville leads the series 1-0, with the second game scheduled for Friday evening in Nashville.

Ryan O'Leary is a writer and researcher for Bleacher Report's Video Production Department with seven years of experience in sports media.