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Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, who was bullied by NHL prospect Mitchell Miller in middle school, says he hasn’t seen any proof that Miller has changed his ways.

In a statement released Wednesday by the Hockey Diversity Alliance, Meyer-Crothers, who is Black and has developmental disabilities, said Miller reached out by text to apologize and to say he was doing community work to help young people.

“I told him, ‘That’s all cool but where is the proof though?’ He didn’t give me any [proof],” Meyer-Crothers said.

“All the lies I have been told from him for so many years I don’t believe what Mitchell told me.”

The statement was released days after the Boston Bruins rescinded their entry-level contract offer to Miller, who was originally selected by Arizona in the fourth round of the 2020 draft.

Bruins president Cam Neely said Monday the team “dropped the ball” with its internal vetting of the defenseman.

Boston signed Miller on Friday, leading to sweeping criticism from Bruins players, from captain Patrice Bergeron on down, as well as Boston’s fan base.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also weighed in, saying Miller would not be eligible to play in the league without major changes.

The offer to Miller was rescinded late Sunday, with Neely saying in a statement the Bruins thought Miller’s conduct was an isolated incident and that the team reversed course based on new information — particularly that the team hadn’t spoken to Meyer-Crothers or his family.

In 2016, at age 14, Miller pleaded guilty to one count of assault and one count of violation of the Ohio Safe Schools Act. He and another teenager were accused of making Meyer-Crothers eat a candy push pop after wiping it in a bathroom urinal, and surveillance video showed them kicking and punching him.

Meyer-Crothers said the abuse went on for years.

“Mitchell used to ask me to sit with him on the bus and then he and his friends would punch me in the head,” Meyer-Crothers said. “This happened my whole time in school.

“When I went to junior high Mitchell would spit in my face and call me a ‘N word.’ I stopped telling because they called me a snitch and I would get made fun of.”

Meyer-Crothers said Miller’s friends continued the bullying once Miller was expelled from school.

“Everyone thought he was cool, but I don’t see how someone can be cool when you pick on someone and bully someone your entire life,” Meyer-Crothers said.

Meyer-Crothers said he has recently received racist and abusive messages on social media.

“Mitchell isn’t my friend. It hurts my heart what he did to me,” he said. “So I just wanted to tell everyone — when Mitchell says we’re friends it isn’t true.

“I can’t take more of this.”

Before being drafted by Arizona, Miller sent a letter to all 31 NHL teams acknowledging what happened and apologizing for his behavior.

“When I was in eighth grade, I made an extremely poor decision and acted very immaturely,” Miller said in a statement. “I bullied one of my classmates. I deeply regret the incident and have apologized to the individual. Since the incident, I have come to better understand the far-reaching consequences of my actions that I failed to recognize and understand nearly seven years ago.”

The Coyotes drafted Miller despite knowing of his 2016 assault conviction. The team parted ways with Miller amid criticism after learning more about his bullying of Meyer-Crothers.

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Follow live: Kings look to take 3-0 series lead vs. Oilers

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Hagel suspended for Game 3 due to hit on Barkov

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Hagel suspended for Game 3 due to hit on Barkov

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel was suspended one game by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Friday night for what it labeled “an extremely forceful body check to an unsuspecting opponent” that injured Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.

Hagel will miss Saturday’s Game 3 in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers lead the series 2-0.

Around midway through the third period of Thursday’s Game 2, Tampa Bay was on the power play while trailing 1-0. Barkov pressured defenseman Ryan McDonagh deep in the Lightning zone. With the puck clearly past Barkov, Hagel lined him up for a huge hit that sent the Panthers captain to the ice and thumping off the end boards.

A penalty was whistled, and the officials conferred before calling a “five-minute penalty.” After review, Hagel was given a 5-minute major for interference. Barkov left the game with 10:09 remaining in regulation and did not return to the Panthers’ 2-0 win.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after the game that he didn’t expect Hagel to receive a major penalty for the hit.

“Refs make the call. I was a little surprised it was a five, but it was,” he said.

The NHL ruled that Hagel’s hit made “some head contact” on Barkov.

“It’s important to note that Barkov is never in possession of the puck on this play and is therefore not eligible to be checked in any manner,” the league said.

In the Friday hearing, held remotely, Hagel argued that he approached the play anticipating that Barkov would play the puck. But the Department of Player Safety said the onus was on Hagel to ensure that Barkov was eligible to be checked. It also determined that the hit had “sufficient force” for supplemental discipline.

It’s Hagel’s first suspension in 375 regular-season and 36 playoff games. He was fined for boarding Florida’s Eetu Luostarinen in May 2022.

The Panthers held an optional skate Friday. Coach Paul Maurice said Barkov “hasn’t been ruled out yet” but “hasn’t been cleared” for Game 3.

“He’s an irreplicable player,” Panthers defenseman Seth Jones said of Barkov. “One of the best centermen in the league. He’s super important to our team.”

The Lightning lose Hagel while they struggle to score in the series; they scored two goals in Game 1 and were shut out in Game 2. Tampa Bay was the highest-scoring team in the regular season (3.56), with Hagel contributing 35 goals and 55 assists in 82 games.

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Goalies Montembeault, Dobes leave Caps-Habs

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Goalies Montembeault, Dobes leave Caps-Habs

The Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens lost their starting goalies because of injuries in Game 3 of their first-round series Friday night.

Canadiens starter Sam Montembeault was replaced by rookie Jakub Dobes, who made his playoff debut, in the second period. Capitals starter Logan Thompson left late in the third period after a collision with teammate Dylan Strome.

The Canadiens won 6-3 to cut their series deficit to 2-1.

Montembeault left the crease with 8:21 remaining in the second period and the score tied 2-2. Replays showed him reaching for the back of his left leg after making a save on Capitals defenseman Alex Alexeyev. Montembeault had stopped 11 of 13 shots. For the series, he stopped 58 of 63 shots (.921 save percentage) with a 2.49 goals-against average.

Dobes, 23, was 7-4-3 in 16 games for the Canadiens in the regular season with a .909 save percentage. Dobes had a win over the Capitals on Jan. 10, stopping 15 shots in a 3-2 overtime win.

Thompson was helped from the ice by a trainer and teammates after Strome collided with him with 6:37 left in regulation right after Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky made it a 5-3 Montreal lead. Thompson attempted to skate off on his own but couldn’t put weight down on his left leg.

Backup goalie Charlie Lindgren replaced Thompson, who had been outstanding for the Capitals in the first two games of the series, winning both with a .951 save percentage and a 1.47 goals-against average. He made 30 saves on 35 shots in Game 3.

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