Despite a public apology, Montreal Canadiens forward Brandon Prust is being slapped with a US$5000 fine for calling out a referee.

The NHL fined Prust only hours after he apologized publicly to referee Brad Watson after a tough loss in Montreal Sunday night.

"Brandon Prust's post-game comments were both baseless and demeaning of a referee whose 20-year career in the league has been marked by professionalism, integrity and a high degree of respect from players, coaches and management," Colin Campbell, the NHL's senior executive vice-president, said in a statement.

Brandon Prust's allegations that referee Brad Watson aimed an expletive-laden tirade against him during Sunday's game in Montreal sparked passionate and divided reaction on social media and among hockey analysts.

CTV Montreal's Brian Wilde wrote a widely-read article Monday condemning the referee if indeed the expletive-laden tirade Prust reported was accurate (see video above). "Watson should be the one receiving the lion's share of the criticism this morning," wrote Wilde.

Some others argued that Prust violated an unwritten rule by repeating comments made on the ice. TSN hockey analyst Darren Dreger slammed Prust in an on-air speech and later proposed that Prust might face discipline from the league for repeating the comments made on the ice.

Many expressed disagreement with Dreger's tweet and suggested that Watson be punished rather than Prust.

Watson gave Prust a two minute penalty for coming into contact with Tampa goaltender Ben Bishop and then gave Prust an additional two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct in the first period. Watson could be seen speaking harshly to Prust while Prust was in the penalty box.

The Canadiens killed the four minute penalty but Tampa scored on a subsequent penalty to P.K. Subban and went on to win 6-2, leaving the Canadiens to trail the Lightning 2-0 in the series.

"(Referee Watson) kept provoking me and came to the box and called me every name in the book, 'mother(expletive), coward.' He said he’d drive me out of this building but I said 'ok, ok, ok' and he kept on me and I said, 'yeah, yeah, ok.' I wasn’t looking at him. That’s the ref he is. He tries to play god. He tried to do that tonight," Prust told a scrum of reporters after the game.

Prust apologized for the comments Tuesday.

Montreal Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said that he would deal with Brandon Prust privately. "I'm old school with those things," Therrien said. "I'm a true believer that what's in the dressing room should stay in the dressing room, what's on the ice and comments should stay on the ice. And we'll take care of that internally."

TSN hockey analyst Bob McKenzie wrote a neutral tweet that suggested that the NHL is looking into possible punishment for Prust's comments and for tossing an elbow pad at the Tampa bench. About 150 people replied, roughly split in their views.

The Canadiens play Games Three and Four Wednesday and Thursday in Tampa.

With files from Stephen Whyno of The Canadian Press