Maple Leafs' Morgan Rielly suspended 5 games by the NHL for cross-checking the Senators' Ridly Greig
Morgan Rielly has been suspended five games for cross-checking Ridly Greig in the final seconds of a game over the weekend
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly has been suspended five games for cross-checking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig in the final seconds of the teams' game over the weekend.
The NHL's department of player safety announced the suspension Tuesday after a virtual hearing with Rielly and team and union representatives. It was not held in New York because of snow, but the invitation for an in-person hearing allowed the league to suspend for six or more games.
Rielly took exception to Greig firing a slap shot into an empty net with 5.1 seconds left Saturday night to make it 5-3 Senators. He cross-checked Greig up high but did not injure the 21-year-old playing his first full professional season.
Because the suspension was under six games, the only appeal is to Commissioner Gary Bettman. Anything longer would have gone to Bettman and then, if requested, to a neutral arbitrator.
