Are Refs Helping or Hurting Stolarz vs. Greig Rivalry?

The Toronto Maple Leafs might have a 2-0 series lead over the Ottawa Senators, but talk heading to Ottawa isn’t necessarily about how well the Leafs are playing, but about Anthony Stolarz’s beef with Ridly Greig. After he was run into during Game 1, the Leafs’ netminder took matters into his own hands in Game 2. Some thought Stolarz crossed a line in his attempt to get even, but others suggested he was in the right, especially if the officials had no intention of managing the situation and getting Greig under control.

That said, perhaps the refs knew exactly what they were doing. Evidence suggests that they were allowing Stolarz to exact some retribution before finally addressing the issue. Has their approach to managing this budding feud made things better or worse?

Did Greig Have It Coming?

When Greig wound up in front of the Toronto net in Game 2 and immediately began to feel the brunt of Stolarz’s frustration, the officials let things go for a long time. Eventually, Stolarz was called for a single penalty. Greig got one too. Stolarz likely could have gotten three or four penalties before one was finally called.

Multiple stick jabs and a cross-check were all ignored. Ultimately, both players headed to the box — Stolarz for interference, and Greig for roughing.

Why was so much let go? If you ask a Senators fan, Stolarz got away with near-murder. If you talk to a Leafs fan, the story changes. Sid Seixeiro wrote, “I think it’s pretty obvious why the Sens didn’t get a power play here: Officials well aware that Ridly Greig tried to end Stolarz’s season with 5 minutes left in Game 1 and wasn’t even penalized. Refs let number 41 get his hacks in. No more no less.”

Stolarz Said He Didn’t Even Know It Was Greig

When asked about the exchange, Stolarz either played dumb or might have told a little fib. “I just got caught up in the heat of battle,” Stolarz said afterward. “I didn’t even know who it was. You’re in the heat of the moment.”

It’s hard to imagine, especially after taking a number in Game 1, that Stolarz wouldn’t have realized Greig was in his crease.

The Senators have made no secret of their game plan to disrupt Stolarz by getting bodies to the front of the net. Greig has been the most persistent, and it hasn’t sat well with Toronto. Tuesday’s exchange felt less like a spur-of-the-moment reaction and more like a response that had been simmering since Game 1.

Greig’s testimony seems to contradict Stolarz’s description of the exchange. Greig said after the game that he had a verbal exchange with Stolarz. “I asked him if he was surprised I got one too,” Greig said. “He kind of said, ‘Maybe a touch, yeah.’” In other words, Greig was saying Stolarz expected to get penalized. When the refs sent both players, it came as a shock.

What Does This Mean For Game 3?

One must assume that this heated rivalry will continue. Greig is unlikely to change the kind of game he plays. Meanwhile, Stolarz isn’t about to back down. “I’ve known ‘Stolie’ for a long time,” said Mitch Marner, a former OHL teammate. “He’s a big man. He sticks up for himself. It’s good for him.”

If this isn’t over, it will be up to the officials to get this situation under control. It will be interesting to see if their lack of calls and subsequent evening out the infractions will have helped, or made things worse.

As the series shifts to Ottawa, neither player is likely to let it go. If anything, it adds fuel to an already intense rivalry. The heat doesn’t seem to be too much for Stolarz. He’s playing extremely well and appears to step up when the level of intensity does.