GARRIOCH: Ridly Greig’s empty-netter has Toronto Maple Leafs fuming

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The Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t appreciate the way Ridly Greig stuck the nail in the coffin in final round of the Battle of Ontario Saturday.

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The Ottawa Senators iced this 5-3 victory at the Canadian Tire by firing a slap shot into an empty net and that sent Toronto defenceman Morgan Rielly over the edge.

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A fuming Rielly crosschecked Greig in the head because the Leafs didn’t appreciate his actions and, as a result, he could face discipline from the NHL’s department of player safety.

“That was a stupid thing to do by their guy at the end,” said Leafs’ goalie Martin Jones, who was watching from the bench.

Naturally, the Senators didn’t seem to mind it, but they didn’t like Rielly going after Greig, either.

“The league will look at it. That’s not a hockey play,” said interim coach Jacques Martin. “That’s just frustration or something. It’s not part of the game.”

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Martin added: “He put the puck in the net. Whether he shoots it or pushes it, (what Rielly did) that shouldn’t happen.”

Still, the Leafs were already frustrated and that left them fuming. Greig needed medical attention before he left the ice.

Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe told TSN’s Claire Hanna he felt the response by Rielly was the right thing to do.

“I thought it was appropriate,” Keefe said and added. “Our players have the right to react.”

The Senators can understand the frustration by the Leafs but didn’t like the way Rielly reacted.

“You never really know what Greig is going to do,” said centre Josh Norris. “I loved it, but if I was on the other side I wouldn’t have liked it either. I didn’t really like the retaliation and I understand their frustration. But it’s over with and I guess it was entertaining.”

Centre Shane Pinto thought it was entertaining.

“(Greig’s) play was pretty funny to say the least. That was interesting at the end,” Pinto said with a laugh. “It was a tough play all around. They thought they had to do that and I just hope (Greig) is okay.”

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

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