The Battle of Ontario on Saturday night ended in a storm of controversy as Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly delivered a forceful cross-check to the head of Ottawa SenatorsRidly Greig.
Rielly's retaliatory action came after Greig's hard slap shot into an empty Maple Leafs net in the dying seconds of the game, a move that clearly irked Rielly and the Maple Leafs.
Rielly was promptly ejected from the game and may face further discipline from the NHL, but Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe made it clear that he stands by his player's actions.
"I thought it was appropriate,"
stated Keefe firmly when asked about Rielly's response.
"Our players have the right to react."
Pressed further on why he supported Rielly's actions, Keefe remained resolute, stating,
"It's pretty apparent."
With no more regular-season matchups between the two teams, fans will have to wait until next season for a potential rematch.