The Toronto Maple Leafs lost team captain Auston Matthews during Thursday evening’s tilt at Scotiabank Arena against the visiting Anaheim Ducks, after he was leveled with what was a truly dirty knee-on-knee hit from Radko Gudas.
Matthews immediately fell to the ice in major discomfort, and while he was eventually able to gingerly skate off the ice under his own power, the Maple Leafs soon announced that he would be unavailable for the remainder of the contest.
However, something that was immediately noticeable was the lack of a response from Matthews’ teammates to defend him after he was hurt because a dirty play from a repeat offender.
Now, Morgan Rielly, who is Matthews’ longtime teammate, is apologizing for not confronting Gudas himself.
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Auston Matthews’ Toronto Maple Leafs Teammate Morgan Rielly Apologized For The Lack Of Response
It’s an unwritten hockey code that when a teammate is injured because of the dirty actions of an opponent, a teammate must step in to confront the opponent and avenge his teammate.
However, there was no such action on the part of the Maple Leafs when Matthews was hurt. Now, Morgan Rielly is taking responsibility for the lack of a response.
“It’s on me for not responding,” a contrite Rielly said in the dressing room afterward.
“I didn’t have a good view of it, because the puck was going the other way, but it’s on me for not responding earlier to Gudas being there,” he continued. “It’s a dirty hit. I didn’t understand how bad he got him in the moment, but I take full responsibility for not being the first one in there or being quicker to respond. When your captain goes down on a dirty play, you have to respond as a group, but I take responsibility for not being the first one in there after the hit.”
The Maple Leafs did play more physical in the third period, racking up 33 total penalty minutes between Rielly, Easton Cowan, Max Domi, and Jake McCabe. Rielly would also explain that was part of their strategy to “play hard” in the final frame of what was a badly-needed victory.
“Not (to come out) like a bunch of idiots, but to play hard, yeah,” Rielly said. “You watch the hit back, it’s not great. Myself and the other people on the ice, I think that we take responsibility for not being there.”
One thing is for certain – the Maple Leafs will be sure and step in to defend an injured teammate if something similar were to repeat itself.
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Similar Incidents Have Unfolded In Recent Years
Perhaps the most infamous incident in recent NHL memory took place in November 2011 when Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller was completely bulldozed by Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic when he went out to try and play the puck.
The lukewarm response by Buffalo’s players on the ice was heavily maligned in fan and media circles for the next several weeks, and many believe that’s when the Sabres’ downward spiral to 14 straight seasons of no appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (which will end this season thanks to their complete surge since mid-December) truly began.
Morgan Rielly Shoulders Blame As Maple Leafs Leafs Fail To Defend Auston Matthews