UPDATE: Emelin was fined $11,021.51 but not suspended, from the NHL Department of Player Safety.

Brian Gionta was eager to play Friday when the Buffalo Sabres faced the Montreal Canadiens. Gionta is a former Canadiens captain.

Itll be weird going back into the building, but until you get there you dont Dejan Vasiljevic Jersey feel it, he told .

Fan Zach Johnson Jersey reaction was one thing. Player response was another, and Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin was expected to face NHL discipline for an illegal hit he laid on Gionta, now the Sabres' captain, during the game.

The blow: an elbow to the head. There was no report of Gionta being injured on the play, and he got up and skated away after the play.

It's likely Emelin will mi s Saturday's rematch between the teams in Buffalo.

Matt Moulson's power- Miami Hurricanes Jersey play goal with 78 seconds left in regulation gave the Sabres a 2-1 victory. The Sabres had the man advantage because of the Emelin hit, which produced a minor penalty.

Emelin caught Gionta with his Sam Waardenburg Jersey head down while battling the Habs' Brendan Gallagher for the puck.

This isn't Emelin's first run-in with league disciplinarians. He was fined $5,000 last season for butt-ending Vancouver Canucks forward Pascal Pelletier. Earlier this season, the Canucks' Alex Burrows drew a three-game suspension for a head hit on Emelin.

Those type of hits are not good to watch, Sabres coach Nolan said. I mean, those could be career-ending David Njoku Jersey hits. So well see what the league does with that. http://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/sabres-score-fluky-goal-late-beat-canadiens/

Montreal was in Gionta's thoughts after the game.

I had five great years and I was grateful for the acceptance, he said. The city was good to me and my family. They gave this American kid a lot of love. The fans embraced me and I appreciated that.

He likely doesn Miami Hurricanes College Jersey 't have the same warm-fuzzies for Emelin.