Editing Maurice Richard (section)

===Richard Riot===
{{main article|Richard Riot}}
{{Quote box| quote ="What did Campbell do when [[Jean Béliveau]] was deliberately injured twice by [[Bill Mosienko]] of Chicago and [[Jack Evans (ice hockey)|Jack Evans]] of the Rangers? No penalty, no fine, no suspension. Did he suspend [[Gordie Howe]] of Detroit when he almost knocked out [[Dollard St. Laurent]]'s eye? No! ... Strange that only Dick Irvin and I have the courage to risk our livelihood by defending our rights against such a dictator."|align=right |width=30%|source=—Campbell forced Richard to cease writing for ''Samedi-Dimanche'' following these comments.<ref>{{harvnb|Foran|2011|pp=80–81}}</ref>}}
Opposition players continued to try to stop Richard through physical intimidation, and he often retaliated with equal force. The situation led to a running feud with NHL President [[Clarence Campbell]].<ref name="Foran77">{{harvnb|Foran|2011|p=77}}</ref> Richard had been fined numerous times by Campbell for on-ice incidents and at one point was forced to post a $1,000 "good-behaviour bond" after he criticized Campbell in a weekly column he helped author for ''Samedi-Dimanche''.<ref>{{citation |last=Wheatley |first=W. R. |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19541204&id=84EtAAAAIBAJ&pg=6115,808824 |title=Canadiens' Maurice Richard seeks no. 400. It may come Sunday against New York club |work=The Gazette|location=Montreal |date=December 4, 1954 |access-date=March 30, 2014 |page=11}}</ref> Richard was among many in Quebec who believed that Campbell treated French Canadian players more harshly than their English counterparts.<ref>{{harvnb|Carrier|2001|p=211}}</ref> The simmering dispute erupted after an incident in the Canadiens' March 13, 1955, game against Boston, when [[Hal Laycoe]] struck Richard in the head with his stick.<ref name="Pincus86">{{harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=86}}</ref> Richard retaliated by slashing viciously at Laycoe's head, then punched linesman [[Cliff Thompson]] when the official attempted to intervene.<ref>{{citation |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Q4ItAAAAIBAJ&pg=7240%2C2069187 |title=Rocket goes wild at Boston, clouts Laycoe, linesman |work=The Gazette|location=Montreal |date=March 14, 1955 |access-date=March 30, 2014 |page=23}}</ref> Boston police attempted to arrest Richard for assault following the incident, but Montreal coaching staff and teammates refused police entry in protest.<ref>{{harvnb|Foran|2011|p=89}}</ref>

Following two days of deliberation, Campbell announced that he had suspended Richard&nbsp;– who was leading the NHL's overall scoring race at the time&nbsp;– for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs.<ref>{{citation |last=Wheatley |first=W. R. |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RoItAAAAIBAJ&pg=7068%2C2524808 |title=Richard out for season and playoffs |work=The Gazette|location=Montreal |date=March 17, 1955 |access-date=March 30, 2014 |page=1}}</ref> In English Canada, Campbell was praised for doing what he could to control the erratic Richard. Unknown to most at the time, Campbell had long wanted to impose a lengthy suspension on Richard over his previous outbursts. As NHL president however, Campbell ultimately answered to the league's owners and they were reluctant to see such severe discipline imposed against one of the league's star players on account of their value in increasing game attendance.<ref>{{harvnb|Foran|2011|pp=82–83}}</ref> In French Quebec the suspension was viewed as an injustice, an unfair punishment given to a Francophone hero by the Anglophone establishment.<ref name="PodnieksPlayers723"/> Richard's supporters reacted angrily to Campbell: he received several death threats and, upon taking his customary seat at the next Canadiens game, unruly fans pelted him with vegetables, eggs and other debris.<ref name="Pincus86" /> One fan threw a [[tear gas]] bomb at Campbell, which resulted in the Forum's evacuation and the game's forfeiture in Detroit's favour. Fans fleeing the arena were met by a large group of demonstrators who had massed outside prior to the game's start.<ref name="Pincus86" />

The mob of over 20,000 people developed into a [[riot]]. Windows and doors were smashed at the Forum and surrounding businesses. By the following morning, between 65 and 70 had been arrested.<ref>{{citation |last=MacDonald |first=D. A. L. |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=R4ItAAAAIBAJ&pg=7266%2C2684993 |title=Mob rule wrecks Forum, game |work=The Gazette|location=Montreal |date=March 18, 1955 |access-date=March 30, 2014 |page=1}}</ref> Over 50 stores were looted and 37 people injured. Damage was estimated at $100,000 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|100000|1955}}}} in {{Inflation-year|CA}} dollars).{{inflation-fn|CA}}<ref name="Pincus86" /> Richard had also attended the game, but left immediately following the forfeit. Frank Selke attempted to persuade him to return to try to disperse the crowd, but Richard refused, fearing that he would instead further inflame the passions of the mob.<ref>{{harvnb|Foran|2011|p=98}}</ref> He took to the radio the next day asking for calm: "Do no more harm. Get behind the team in the playoffs. I will take my punishment and come back next year and help the club and the younger players to win the Cup."<ref name="Pincus86" />

The suspension cost Richard the [[Art Ross Trophy]] as the leading point scorer in the league, which he lost to teammate Geoffrion by one point.<ref name="Diamond 2013 154"/> Richard never won the point title, finishing second five times in his career. Montreal fans booed Geoffrion when he surpassed Richard on the final day of the regular season.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SilverwareTrophyWinner.jsp?tro=ART&year=1954-55 |title=Art Ross Trophy winner – Geoffrion, Bernie |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame |access-date=March 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407055520/http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SilverwareTrophyWinner.jsp?tro=ART&year=1954-55 |archive-date=April 7, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The fans continued to jeer Geoffrion into the following season.<ref name="Carrier234">{{harvnb|Carrier|2001|pp=234–235}}</ref> Montreal reached and lost the [[1955 Stanley Cup Finals]] four games to three without Richard.<ref name="Foran100">{{harvnb|Foran|2011|p=100}}</ref> The defeat was a bitter loss for Richard, who struggled to control his anger.<ref>{{harvnb|Carrier|2001|p=229}}</ref>