Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly will appeal his five-game suspension from the NHL for a cross-check to the head of Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig, the team announced Wednesday.
Commissioner Gary Bettman will handle the appeal because Rielly’s ban was five games or fewer. Bettman has upheld all three appeals thus far this season.
The incident occurred Saturday with six seconds remaining in Ottawa’s 5-3 win over Toronto. After Greig scored an empty-net goal with a slap shot, Rielly took offense, following Greig and sending him into the boards. Rielly was assessed a major penalty for cross-checking and a game misconduct.
Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe said postgame that his player’s actions were “appropriate.” The league disagreed.
“This play occurs well after the goal has been scored, late in the game with the score out of reach and for the sole purpose of retribution,” a Department of Player Safety official said in an explanation video.
“… Rielly pursues Greig for some time and has sufficient opportunity to choose to engage him in a different manner, or ensure that this cross-check is delivered solely to the body. Instead, fully in control of this play at all times, Rielly chooses to raise his stick to the level of Greig’s head and neck, approaching from the side and delivering a forceful strike to the face with his stick well after the goal has been scored.
“In short, this is not a hockey play.”
This marks Rielly’s first discipline of any kind in an 11-year, 769-game career. He served the first game of the ban by sitting out Tuesday night’s game against the St. Louis Blues.
On the season, Rielly has seven goals and 36 assists. His 43 points are fourth on the team.
–Field Level Media