TORONTO — Ottawa Senators ahead Ridly Greig is not going to face any supplemental self-discipline after delivering a excessive cross-check to John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs throughout Sport 1 of the Battle of Ontario, in line with a supply aware of the choice.
Sunday’s sport produced 52 minutes in penalties, however didn’t embody any infractions the NHL’s division of participant security believed rose to the extent of a wonderful or suspension.
Greig was initially assessed a five-minute cross-checking main penalty after getting his stick up and placing Tavares within the neck or head space because the Leafs participant completed successful on him early within the second interval. Following a video overview, referees Brian Pochmara and Garret Rank decreased Greig’s penalty to a two-minute cross-checking minor.
Ridley Greig obtained a two-minute minor for cross-checking on this play on Tavares.
(📹 ESPN) pic.twitter.com/kGJSQmLflh
— BarDown (@BarDown) April 21, 2025
The Leafs scored on the following energy play — considered one of three man-advantage goals they produced throughout a 6-2 win.
Toronto coach Craig Berube held up 5 fingers on the bench throughout the penalty overview, seemingly lobbying for Greig’s cross-checking infraction to be a five-minute penalty. He later yelled, “Name the league!” to reporters as he walked off the post-game podium after being requested in regards to the sequence.
“That’s not my name,” Berube mentioned a number of occasions.
“The referees and the league will take a look at issues and make the calls they make. We’re not going to deal with that. We’ve received to deal with what we have to do the following sport. It’s the identical as like, I assumed they made some makes an attempt at our goalie and sliding into him and issues like that, however that’s not for us to fret about. We’ve received to deal with taking part in. We’ve received to deal with ourselves and what we have to do. The league will look into that stuff.”
Greig had an efficient night time for the Senators, scoring one of many group’s targets and constantly getting below the pores and skin of Leafs gamers. At one level, he nearly ended up within the Toronto bench and noticed Auston Matthews seize his stick and break it. Throughout a rush late within the third interval, he swept the toes out from Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz after being stick checked by Mitch Marner.
You simply know Greig took benefit of that chance. 💀 pic.twitter.com/b1YZQv15fG
— On a regular basis Sens (@EverydaySens) April 21, 2025
There’s history between the Leafs and Greig, too, after he famously hammered a slapshot into an empty internet throughout a February 2024 sport. Toronto’s Morgan Rielly was suspended 5 video games for cross-checking Greig as he celebrated the aim.
Whereas the Leafs didn’t essentially depart the rink anticipating to see Greig disciplined for his cross-check on Tavares in Sport 1, they weren’t proud of the play. However they’ve made it some extent on the outset of those playoffs to attempt to keep away from getting drawn into any pointless penalties by searching for retribution.
“I’m simply going to let the refs and the league deal with it,” Tavares mentioned. “I’m simply going to compete onerous and attempt to combat for each inch you may and, no matter means calls go, video games go, you combat by way of it and also you simply proceed to play.”
(Picture of Ridly Greig celebrating his Sport 1 aim: Mark Blinch / NHLI through Getty Photos)
