NHL isn't issuing suspensions for feisty Toronto Maple Leafs-Ottawa Senators opener

After their first postseason meeting in 21 years, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators surely made the referees earn their paycheques.

In a 6-2 drubbing by Toronto on their home ice at Scotiabank Arena, eight Leafs and 11 Senators found themselves in the penalty box at least once on the evening.

Senators forward Ridly Greig had perhaps the feistiest moment of the opening game, hitting former Toronto captain John Tavares with a cross-check that originally resulted in a five-minute major before being downgraded to a two-minute minor.

But according to The Athletic’s Chris Johnston, it doesn’t appear that Greig — or anyone else — will be missing any time from the series for their actions.

Ridly Greig was called for a major for cross-checking, but after review it was downgraded to a minor pic.twitter.com/NaaS0Emx1y

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 21, 2025

“Greig will not face any supplemental discipline after delivering a high cross-check to John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs during Game 1 of the Battle of Ontario, according to a source familiar with the decision,” Johnston wrote in an article for The Athletic today.

With the visitors picking up 36 minutes in penalties in comparison to Toronto’s 16, officiating became part of the postgame story. Senators coach Travis Green told reporters postgame that he believed the Leafs were “selling” some of the calls.

“We definitely have to stay out of the box, I’ll say that,” Green told reporters on Sunday night. “At the end of the game, sometimes, it can get a little out of hand once in a while.

Leafs coach Craig Berube took a bit of a different approach.

“That’s not my call,” Berube said of Greig’s cross-check. “The referees and the league will look at things and make the calls they make. We’re not going to focus on that.”

However, before Berube left the podium, he reportedly said “call the league,” suggesting he expected a suspension to be on the way.

Either way, it’s on to Game 2 tomorrow night in Toronto, where the Leafs will look to extend their lead in the series.