Marc-Edouard Vlasic draws max fine for slashing Dany Heatley

ByAllan Muir Apparently the "He hit me first!" defense does work any better with Sheriff Shanny than it does on the average parent. San Jose defenseman

ByAllan Muir

Apparently the "He hit me first!" defense does work any better with Sheriff Shanny than it does on the average parent.

San Jose defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic trotted out the old chestnut, but was still fined the maximum allowable under the CBA ($8,378.38) for slashing Minnesota's Dany Heatley after the final buzzer of Wednesday night's 4-2 Sharks win.

Vlasic was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct on the play that saw Heatley swing his stick (and miss) first, prompting Vlasic to showcase his superior aim. They always get the retaliator, don't they?

Heatley suffered an injury, but he told the Department of Player Safety that it occurred in the ensuing scrum and not as a result of Vlasic’s slash. That probably helped Vlasic's case.