Dallas Stars forward Corey Perry is pleading his case after being ejected from the Winter Classic on Wednesday.

After throwing an elbow to the head of Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis in the opening minutes of the contest, Perry was handed a five-minute major and game misconduct.

"I've played with Ryan before. I know him personally. It's very unintentional," Perry said postgame, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "I didn't mean to hurt him. I hope he's OK."

The 34-year-old will have a hearing on Friday, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Wednesday.

"It was an awkward play. I reached up to try and deflect the puck," Perry added. "It's unfortunate."

Perry is a repeat offender as he's been suspended twice before; his last incident came in 2013 when he was handed a four-game ban for an illegal hit on Minnesota Wild forward Jason Zucker.

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This year's edition of the NHL Winter Classic was as visually appealing as it was entertaining.

The legendary Cotton Bowl's unique setting enhanced the Dallas Stars' eventful 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on New Year's Day. From the game itself to the sideshow livestock, Dallas put its distinctive stamp on the event.

Here are the most indelible images from a truly memorable outdoor affair:

The hosts emerge from the tunnel 👏

Who doesn't love a good flyover? ✈️

Ditto for fireworks 🎆

Perry takes the walk of shame after his ejection 🚶

Laviolette tries to get the Predators going 🗣️

Only in Dallas 🐖🐄

Johansen celebrates Dante Fabbro's goal 😄

Absolute scenes 😍

Josi appears to be missing something 🤔

Comeau's fired up after 1st of 4 straight Stars goals 🤗

Goalies meet in the handshake line 🤝

Celebration views 🙌

Victory pose 📸

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Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella has been fined $20,000 for his tirade against the officiating following a loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, the NHL announced Wednesday.

He was also assessed a conditional fine of $25,000 if he displays similar inappropriate behavior through Dec. 29, 2020.

Tortorella was upset with the referees on Sunday after they seemingly made an error with the game clock in overtime, which ultimately led to his team's apparent game-winning goal being negated.

Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo was also injured during the ensuing shootout, which added fuel to Tortorella's displeasure. The 25-year-old netminder will miss four-to-six weeks after undergoing knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus on Monday.

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The Minnesota Wild will take part in the next edition of the Winter Classic at Target Field, the home of MLB's Twins, the NHL announced on Wednesday.

It will be the Wild's first New Year's Day outdoor game and the second regular-season outdoor contest in team history.

The Wild's opponent will be revealed at a later date, according to the club. The Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, and Winnipeg Jets have been discussed as potential opponents, reports Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

Minnesota defeated the Blackhawks 6-1 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis back in 2016.

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Dan Milstein, the agent for Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ilya Mikheyev, is extremely appreciative of the way general manager Kyle Dubas handled his client's frightening injury.

Mikheyev suffered a wrist laceration that resulted in a severed artery and tendons during a Dec. 27 game against the New Jersey Devils. Dubas spent several days keeping the Russian company in the hospital and also bought clothes and other personal items for Mikheyev.

"Kyle went above and beyond his duty," Milstein said, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

Milstein went on to compliment the franchise.

"I've been saying this since long ago: The Maple Leafs as an organization, the way they recruit is almost like college recruiting," said Milstein. "Many (other) teams would say, 'Yeah, well they can afford to do it.'

"But caring for somebody and treating people like this doesn't cost any money. Showing support, showing you care, is about a lot more than money."

Mikheyev isn't expected to return from the injury for several months. The 25-year-old winger is playing his first season in North America after inking a one-year deal with Toronto in May.

Through 39 games this season, the rookie has tallied eight goals and 23 points while averaging 15:35 of ice time per contest.

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Corey Perry didn't wait long to get booted from the Winter Classic.

The Dallas Stars forward was tossed for a high hit on Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis in the opening minutes of Wednesday's outdoor game at the Cotton Bowl.

Perry was assessed a five-minute major for elbowing and a game misconduct for the check, which came just 2:44 into the affair.

Ellis had to be helped off the ice and immediately went to the dressing room. He didn't emerge for the start of the second period and was ruled out for the rest of the game midway through the frame.

Perry's game misconduct was the first in Winter Classic history and the second ever in an outdoor NHL game, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen.

Nashville capitalized twice on the ensuing power play, as Matt Duchene tallied at the 5:46 mark and Dante Fabbro got on the board less than two minutes later.

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Star forward Alexis Lafreniere will return to the lineup for Canada's quarterfinal game against Slovakia on Thursday, the team announced Wednesday.

Lafreniere practiced Wednesday for the first time since injuring his left knee in Canada's second round-robin contest against Russia. The 18-year-old looked comfortable while participating in drills.

Canadian forward Ty Dellandrea called Lafreniere's early return to the ice "shocking," adding that he "didn't see any rust" in his teammate's game, according to TSN's Mark Masters.

Canada was able to weather the storm without its top talent, defeating both Germany and the Czech Republic to claim the top spot in Group B.

Lafreniere, the projected No. 1 selection of the 2020 NHL Draft, was dominant in the tournament opener for the red and white, notching a goal and three assists en route to a 6-4 victory over the United States.

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In the third edition of theScore's 2019-20 Vezina Trophy power rankings, we take a look at the leading candidates for this year's award as the midway mark of the season approaches.

5. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

Hellebuyck has endured a shaky couple of weeks heading into the new year, but an excellent body of work in the opening half of the season keeps him in the running for the Vezina.

The 26-year-old puck-stopper has been invaluable to a Jets team that's struggled to stay healthy on the blue line. Hellebuyck leads the league in goals saved above average (12.7) and was just named to the Central Division All-Star team for the second time in his career.

4. Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins

Rask has been steady all season for the Atlantic-leading Bruins. The Finnish netminder has helped his club earn at least a point in all but four of his starts and has just two regulation losses since Nov. 8.

Rask's numbers have declined over three consecutive months, however, as both he and the Bruins have come back down to earth following an incredible start to the campaign. He's also the only goalie on this list who's failed to outperform his expected goals-against average per 60 minutes so far this season.

Despite his regression, Rask is still having his best season in several years and will remain a strong Vezina candidate if he continues his sound play between the pipes.

3. Ben Bishop, Dallas Stars

Like Hellebuyck, Bishop has hit a bit of a rough patch of late, but the Stars' most valuable player has been at his very best for the majority of the campaign.

Through 27 starts this season, Bishop has allowed more than three goals in a game on just three occasions, two of which have come in the last 11 days. Though the Stars boast the league's 26th-ranked offensive, Bishop's elite ability in goal combined with the club's stingy defense makes Dallas a contender for a deep postseason run.

2. Darcy Kuemper, Arizona Coyotes

Kuemper has been the backbone of one of the NHL's best stories this season. The Coyotes may be one of the top defensive squads in the league, but his excellence between the pipes elevates them from a team that's simply difficult to play against to a team that's extremely tough to beat.

Arizona sits second in the Pacific Division thanks in large part to Kuemper's dominant play. The Saskatchewan native has posted a 5-1-2 record with a 1.70 goals-against average and a .948 save percentage against divisional opponents. Despite missing time with injury, Kuemper remains a top candidate to take home this year's Vezina honors.

1. Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues

Binnington appears to be on cruise control during his sophomore campaign. He's won six straight starts and has lost consecutive games in regulation just once.

The Blues' coolheaded netminder owns the analytical advantage as well. Binnington boasts the league's best high-danger save percentage, and his performance relative to his expected goals-against average per 60 minutes is better than that of any other goaltender with at least 18 starts.

Advanced stats courtesy of NaturalStatTrick

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