Russian KHL team punished after fans point laser at goalie

MOSCOW (AP) A Russian team in the Kontinental Hockey League has been fined after its fans used a laser to dazzle the opposition goaltender in a playoff game.

The KHL says fans of two-time KHL champion Ak Bars Kazan shone a laser pointer at the mask of Salavat Yulaev Ufa goaltender Niklas Svedberg in the Feb. 28 game.

Lasers can cause damage to vision, but Svedberg was not hurt and was able to play on.

The KHL fined Ak Bars 300,000 rubles ($4,000), saying ''the use of such items (as lasers) can have a negative effect on the game and influence the result.''

Ak Bars lost the game 4-1, and is 3-2 down in its best-of-seven series with Salavat Yulaev in the first round of the KHL playoffs.