Morgan Rielly of the Maple Leafs faces a suspension for checking Ridly Greig of the Senators in the head

All-Star defenceman Morgan Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs faces a possible lengthy suspension for his reaction to an Ottawa Senators goal on Saturday night.

The NHL Player Safety Department announced Sunday that Rielly was offered a personal hearing (possible suspension of six games or more) for checking Senators striker Ridly Greig after his goal. The hearing was scheduled to take place on Tuesday afternoon at the NHL office in New York, but was switched to a virtual due to expected bad weather.

Greig had put the finishing touches on the 5-3 victory in the Battle of Ontario with a goal into an empty net in the final seconds, but he fired the puck into the net with a slap shot from close range, which was a violation of the unwritten code of NHL players.

Rielly did not agree with the way the goal was scored and followed Greig as he skated back to his teammates to celebrate, then checked him up. Greig went to the ice and remained prone as a scrum began, but he eventually got up.

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The on-ice officials assessed Rielly a major penalty for cross-checking, which was upheld after review, and he also received a game misconduct penalty.

Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said he thought Rielly’s reaction was appropriate.

“I think he’s reacting to a play,” Keefe told reporters. “Your player has the right to do what he wants in that moment and our players have the right to react. That’s the emotion of the game.”

Senators coach Jacques Martin said Rielly’s shot was “not a hockey play.” Asked about the way Greig scored the goal, he said, “He shot the puck into the net. Whether he pushes it or shoots it shouldn’t matter.”

The Player Safety Department suspended David Perron of the Detroit Red Wings for six games earlier this season for a crosscheck to the head during a game against the Senators in response to an injury to his captain, Dylan Larkin.

Rielly, who has never been suspended, was voted by fans to this month’s All-Star Game in Toronto and was one of four Maple Leafs players on the winning Team Matthews.

NHL player safety was already busy this weekend, suspending Vancouver Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov for two games on Saturday for illegally checking the head of Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond. The Canucks play Sunday afternoon, so the hearing was held hours after Saturday’s game. Zadorov will forfeit more than $39,000 in salary.

On Sunday, the department fined Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk a maximum fine of $5,000 for attacking Washington Capitals forward Max Pacioretty with a spear during Saturday’s game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Morgan Rielly checks Ridly Greig in the head and faces suspension