a CHC2D Canadian History presentation Maurice Richard a CHC2D Canadian History presentation

Hockey Star Maurice Richard was more than the star player on the Canadiens, he was also a major icon for French Canadians he was also known for his temper on the ice

Hockey Star when Richard was on the ice, other players would purposely use ethnic slurs, hook, slash and hold him as much as possible to get him to lose focus on the game he was fined and suspended several times for attacking players and officials at the start of 1955, he was fined $250 for slapping a linesman in the face

Hockey Enemy earlier in the season, Richard’s teammate Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion was suspended — and Richard called NHL president Clarence Campbell a ‘dictator’ Richard was forced to retract the comment in a later column

Hockey Event on March 13, 1955, the Habs were playing the Bruins in Boston Bruin Hal Laycoe high-sticked Richard during the power play that required the Habs star to get five stitches at the end of play, Richard skated up to Laycoe and struck him across the face and shoulders with his stick

Hockey Event when linesmen tried to restrain Richard, he broke free and continued to hammer Laycoe, eventually breaking his stick across Laycoe’s body Richard also punched linesman Cliff Thompson for trying to restrain him, knocking his teammate unconcious Richard was finally escorted off the ice by his trainer

Hockey Fines Richard was automatically fined $100 Boston police tried to arrest Richard but agreed to, instead, let the League handle it since Richard was fined earlier in the season for hitting a linesman in Toronto, Campbell demanded a hearing

Hockey Hearing at the hearing, Richard did not deny hitting Laycoe — but he claimed he was too dazed to see Thompson as one of Boston’s players Campbell issued a statement that, due to the fact Richard had been warned not to do it again after Toronto, Richard was to be suspended for the rest of the season and the playoffs

Hockey Reaction most of the press and the other teams believed Richard should have been suspended for more some understood that the League wasn’t out to ruin one of its stars however, in Montreal the reaction was different

Hockey Riots Montrealers felt that the suspension was made by an English Canadian to punish the French Canadian team and keep the cup away from Montreal – the best team in the League up to this point Campbell was urged to stay away from the opening playoff game against Detroit in Montreal but he decided to attend anyway

Hockey Riots when news came that Campbell was coming, fans tried to push their way in those fans had to congregate inside the Habs were not focused on the game… they were worried about what would happen — and rightly so

Hockey Riots Campbell arrived and was booed minutes later, fans hurtled tomatoes and tin cans at the League president a fan got past security and both slapped and punched Campbell tear gas got released in the Forum, requiring an evacuation of the building those outside would riot and cause $10,000 property damage downtown Montreal

Hockey Fallout while hiding out in the infirmary, Campbell arranged for the interrupted game to be given to Detroit Detroit would go on to win the series and the Stanley Cup fans were also upset that Richard lost his scoring title for the season (to a teammate!) but the damage was done in Montreal: hatred of English Canada had begun