NHL commissioner Gary Bettman upheld Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly's five-game suspension for cross-checking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig, the league announced Tuesday.
Rielly appealed his ban during a hearing on Feb. 16. He sat out his team's last four games and is eligible to return Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Maple Leafs are undefeated during his absence.
The 29-year-old earned the suspension in the dying seconds of Toronto's heated 5-3 loss to the Senators on Feb. 10. He cross-checked Greig up high after the rookie took a slap shot into the empty net to cap off the contest.
This is the first suspension of Rielly's 11-year NHL career.
The Leafs will take on the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday as they look to go a perfect 5-0-0 without the blue-liner within their ranks.
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