GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Feb. 10 -- Suspended defenseman Marty McSorley began his road back to the NHL in rocky fashion Saturday night with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the International Hockey League.
Hours after signing a 25-game tryout contract, McSorley took two shots before he was ejected following a melee with 2:19 left in the third period of a 3-1 victory over the Utah Grizzlies.
McSorley was one of eight players ejected in a penalty-filled third period. With the Griffins protecting a one-goal lead, he received a fighting major and a double game misconduct.
The NHL suspended McSorley for one year for his attack on Donald Brashear of the Vancouver Canucks while with the Boston Bruins. With the penalty set to expire on Feb. 21, the 37-year-old is looking to demonstrate that he is ready to return to the NHL.
On Saturday, he showed he has not lost any of the pugnacity that helped him rack up 3,381 penalty minutes with Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, the New York Rangers, San Jose and Boston.
Earlier this week, McSorley signed with the London Knights of the British League, where he hoped to play for his brother, Chris, who is the team's general manager and coach. But McSorley still had to obtain a transfer card from theInternational Ice Hockey Federation.
