Riley tossed out after game- sheet mix- up
Flames’ grinder asked to leave the ice Friday night after first- period fight
Friday turned out to be a very eventful night for Blair Riley — considering that, officially, he didn’t even play.
The scrappy journeyman, against the visiting Vancouver Canucks, took two shifts for the Calgary Flames before it was discovered that his name didn’t appear anywhere on the game sheet.
“Bit of a weird one,” said Riley, grinning. “A pretty odd series of events. Entertaining night.”
So after fighting Brandon Prust at 4: 33 of the first period, Riley was asked to leave the premises.
“I saw the ref coming over from a little ways away,” said Riley. “He was pointing at me in the box. I didn’t think that I had done anything wrong — my tie- down was done up during the fight. Then he opened up the door and told me I wasn’t on the sheet and I’ve got to go. I didn’t believe him at first — ‘ Just put me on the sheet then.’ Yeah, he kicked me out and that was it.
“I didn’t even need to take a shower. I just threw my suit back on.”
Flames coach Bob Hartley accepted blame for the foul- up.
“He apologized to me,” said Riley. “But he didn’t need to do that. He didn’t owe me an apology.”
But Hartley made sure Riley was in the lineup the next night in Vancouver. He took 11 shifts, collecting three shots and two hits.
Sunday, the 29- year- old, who’s on an American Hockey League- only contract, was assigned to Stockton.
But he won’t soon forget Sept. 25, 2015.
On Hartley’s own lineup card, Riley was in. However, on the official sheet, the coach pencilled in Kenny Agostino. ( After Riley departed, Agostino quickly suited up and got more than eight minutes of ice time.)
Alas, Riley’s parents didn’t even get to see his early- game spins.
“They tuned in five minutes after it started,” said Riley, adding that friends had been wondering where the heck he’d gone. “Some people thought I might be injured — they thought it might have been concussion protocol. So once they heard I was all right and it was just a mix- up, they thought it was pretty funny.” And so did he. Post- game, Riley tweeted: “Well at least my mom can’t get mad at me this time for getting kicked out of a game # funwhileit lasted”
Appreciative, Riley did have some kind words for Prust.
“He’s obviously a professional, he’s been in the game a long time, so I was just grateful for him to give me an opportunity — it was awfully nice of him,” said the sixfoot, 210- pounder, who held his own in the tussle. “He just asked if I ( would be) throwing lefts or rights. I told him rights. It’s just something … he doesn’t know who I am, so he wouldn’t have had an opportunity to watch any fight tape of me. Whereas I’m very familiar with him. Just a cordial thing.”