Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly was suspended five games for cross-checking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig in the final seconds of the teams’ game over the weekend.
The NHL Players’ Association announced Wednesday it was filing an appeal on Rielly’s behalf, less than 24 hours since the league’s department of player safety handed down its ruling.
An in-person hearing, which was actually held virtually Tuesday because of snow in New York, allowed the league to suspend Rielly for six or more games. Because the suspension is under that mark, the only appeal is to Commissioner Gary Bettman.
Anything longer would have gone to Bettman and then, if requested, to a neutral arbitrator.
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 in the head and left shoulder but did not injure the 21-year-old playing his first full professional season.
“This is not a hockey play,” the league said in a video explaining the suspension. “This is an intentional, forceful strike to an opponent’s head using the stick as a weapon to exact retribution on an opponent well after a goal has been scored.”
