1. a CHC2D Canadian History presentation
Maurice Richard
a CHC2D Canadian History presentation

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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