Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly had his five-game suspension upheld by commissioner Gary Bettman following an in-person appeal hearing, the league announced Tuesday.
The 29-year-old will serve the final game of his suspension on Wednesday.
Rielly was given the suspension last week for cross-checking Ottawa Senators’ Ridly Greig up high after the forward fired a slap-shot into the Maple Leafs’ empty net. He appealed the ruling the day after it was delivered via the NHL Player’s Association.
Since Rielly’s suspension did not exceed five games, he was only able to appeal directly to the commissioner, who is known to uphold suspensions.
The Maple Leafs have done well without their No. 1 defenceman, going 4-0 in his absence. They will look to make it a perfect record when they take to the ice without Rielly for the final time against the Arizona Coyotes.
