Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle has backed teammate Ridly Greig, who reignited the Battle of Ontario against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.
Greig fired a slapshot into an empty net with six seconds remaining to seal a 5-3 victory over the visiting Maple Leafs in Ottawa. Toronto defenceman Morgan Rielly took exception to Greig’s clapper and cross-checked the Ottawa forward in the head.
Rielly, who received a major penalty and a game misconduct, is facing additional punishment with an in-person meeting scheduled Tuesday with the NHL Department of Player Safety.
“I know it’s the league deciding what’s going on,” Stützle said following Monday’s morning skate. “We as a group, we stand behind him. Obviously, that’s all I want to say about it.”
Stützle said “100 per cent” the Senators want to perform well in their own building when there is a noticeable crowd of fans supporting the opposing team on hand at Canadian Tire Centre.
“It was a lot [Saturday] night and obviously we want to come out and win,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter who we play. It doesn’t matter how many fans from the other team are there, we always want to win, but that especially gives us a little more fire.”
Interim head coach Jacques Martin, who also coached the Senators during the dawn of the Battle of Ontario rivalry, chuckled when asked if he was surprised by the attention the incident has drawn.
“I think it’s just a situation,” said Martin, who returned behind the bench after D.J. Smith was fired Dec. 18. “Ottawa-Toronto is a rivalry and brings attention to people.”
Fans will have to wait a while until the rematch though as Saturday’s game was the final meeting between the two teams during the regular season.
More from Sportsnet
Battle’s Back: Greig, Rielly reignite Senators-Maple Leafs rivalry
32 Thoughts Podcast: The Battle of Ontario is back, baby
News Related-
The best Walmart Cyber Monday deals 2023
-
Jordan Poole took time to showboat and got his shot blocked into the stratosphere
-
The Top Canadian REITs to Buy in November 2023
-
OpenAI’s board might have been dysfunctional–but they made the right choice. Their defeat shows that in the battle between AI profits and ethics, it’s no contest
-
Russia-Ukraine Drone Warfare Rages With Dozens Headed for Moscow, Amid Deadly Winter Storm
-
Trump tells appeals court that threats to judge and clerk in NY civil fraud trial do not justify gag order
-
Can Anyone Take Paxlovid for Covid? Doctors Explain.
-
Google this week will begin deleting inactive accounts. Here's how to save yours.
-
How John Tortorella's Culture Extends from the Philadelphia Flyers to the AHL Phantoms
-
Tri-Cities' hatcheries report best Coho return in years
-
Wild release Dean Evason of head coaching duties
-
Air New Zealand’s Cyber Monday Sale Has the 'Lowest Fares of 2023' to Auckland, Sydney, and More
-
NDP tells Liberals to sweeten the deal if pharmacare legislation is delayed
-
'1,000 contacts with a club': Tiger Woods breaks down his typical tournament prep to college kids in fascinating video