After the riot, the NHL began to crack down on all-out brawls (especially carrying your stick into one), though it would take another 25 years for the changes to take effect with the institution of the third-man-in rule.

It's also crucial to accept that you cannot really comprehend the Richard Riot unless you lived through and knew: The power of the English seigneurs in Montreal, who many angry French believed to be modern economic descendants of New France's landowners that treated their farmers as serfs before the system was abolished in 1854. How Francophone players in the NHL, almost exclusively the property of the Montreal Canadiens, believed they were more harshly treated by league president Clarence Campbell — especially Richard — when it came time to dish out suspensions and fines. How Richard himself, the Rocket, was so much a part of Quebec society that he transcended even organized religion. Red Storey, a former referee and long-time hockey commentator, once said of him that, in Quebec, "hockey was bigger than the Church, and Rocket Richard was bigger than the Pope." Roch Carrier perhaps explained it best in his famous book The Hockey Sweater.

it was crucial to know how violent the National Hockey League was in those days.

Long before McDonald's and Burger King appeared on the scene, working-class Montreal residents had their own go-to option for inexpensive, ready-to-eat lunches: smoked meat sandwiches. According to historian Eiran Harris, the first Montreal establishment to offer smoked meat in ready-to-eat sandwiches (rather than selling it in bulk for takeout) was the British-American Delicatessen Store, which was opened in 1908 by Hyman Rees, who'd formerly owned a deli in Manhattan. He introduced five-cent smoked meat sandwiches, which became so popular that customers lined up down the length of the street to get them.

Along with bagels, smoked meat has been popular in Montreal since the 19th century and is identified as emblematic of the city's cuisine. Despite the food's origins in, and association with, Montreal's Jewish community and, contrary to what is sometimes asserted, delis are seldom certified as kosher.

Montreal-style smoked meat was introduced to Montreal in the late 19th or early 20th century by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. (See Jewish Canadians.) Like other well-known Montreal dishes, such as poutine, its exact origins are unknown. There are, however, many theories in this regard.

In Quebec, the English term “smoked meat” has been accepted by the Office québécois de la langue française to describe Montreal-style smoked meat. The French term “viande fumée” is also used to describe both the sandwich and the dish, as well as the method of preparing all smoked meats. However, the term “smoked meat” is primarily used to refer to the sandwich and to smoked meat platters.

The term “Montreal smoked meat” is often used, regardless of where the meat has been prepared.

"People were marching around the building with placards denouncing Campbell. They were shouting and their mood was very ugly. When I got to my seat near the ice, the game had already started and the Canadiens couldn't seem to get untracked, Then Campbell made his grand entrance. I looked up and I could see some fans beginning to menace him. On one hand I felt pleased because I hated him for what he had done to me and on the other hand I didn't want to see harm come to him. Then a tear-gas bomb went off and the arena was getting filled with smoke."

"The incident caused a much bigger uproar than I thought it would, especially since I didn't think I had started it. There was Laycoe who cut me and there was that 'homer' linesman, Thompson, who continued to provoke me by jumping me from the rear. But the League president (Clarence Campbell) ordered a hearing in his office two days later and I showed up with my coach Dick Irvin and Kenny Reardon from the front office. Laycoe was there as well as his coach Lynn Patrick."

"Hal Laycoe was a defenseman who was a teammate of mine for a couple of seasons and now was with Boston. He hit me a bad check and I was trying to get even with him in the middle of the ice. I hit him and he fell and while falling he hit me in the eye with his stick, opening a bleeding wound over my eye -- and he wasn't even cut. I was good and mad and went after him, but (linesperson) Cliff Thompson, who once had played for the Bruins, jumped on my back, trying to stop me. It was the first time an official ever did that to me and I tried to shake him off."

On March 17, 1955, hockey fans angry over the suspension of Maurice (Rocket) Richard rioted outside the Montreal Forum. They were joined by opportunistic hooligans who smashed shop windows along Ste-Catherine St. and engaged in looting.

The riot led to the arrest of 100 people, and $100,000 in damages, almost $1.1 million in 2022 funds. In one jewelry store, the damage were $68,000 in today’s funds. About 25 civilians and 12 police officers were injured. As well, eight police cars, several streetcars, taxicabs and cars were damaged.

Richard, for his part, didn’t know if he would go to the game. In the end, his wife told him that she was going, and he decided to go along.Two hours before the game, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the lobby of the Montreal Forum. Many tried to crash the gate but were stopped by police. Eventually, the crowd grew to 6,000 people.

In Montreal, it was felt the punishment was unjust and too severe. It was another example for the Francophones of the province of the power that Anglophones held. CKAC, a French radio station, had listeners call in with their opinions. Roughly 97 per cent said that while punishment was justified, the suspension of the playoffs was too severe.Minutes after the judgement was announced, the head office of the NHL received hundreds of phone calls from enraged fans. Many of the fans made death threats against Campbell. One person said to Campbell’s secretary quote:

Over the course of his career, Richard had only been suspended once before. He had also paid $2,500 in fines to the NHL.

Campbell would rule that Richard be suspended for the rest of the season as well as the playoffs. It was the longest suspension that Campbell would issue during his 31 years as league president.

I noticed the Rocket looked pale and strained when he reported for practice this morning. He told me about the headaches and said he hadn’t slept all night. After talking with him I immediately called Dr. Young and the doctor ordered Richard to the hospital at once.”

At the time, Maurice “The Rocket” Richard was the star of the Montreal Canadiens and an icon of the province. Known for his intense play, he was often antagonized by opposing players to push him into fighting or acting with anger on the ice.

On March 13, 1955, in a game in Boston, Richard got into a fight with Hal Laycoe after he was high-sticked in the head. Richard needed five stitches to close the cut on his forehead. When the whistle was blown to end the play, Richard skated up to Laycoe and hit him in the face with his stick. A linesman attempted to restrain Richard who repeatedly tried to attack Laycoe. Richard eventually broke the stick over the body of Laycoe. Linesman Cliff Thompson attempted to contain Richard and Richard punched him twice in the face, knocking him out. Richard was given a match penalty and an automatic $100 fine.In the dressing room after the game, Boston police attempted to arrest Richard but were blocked from getting into the dressing room by Canadiens players. Eventually, the Bruins convinced the officers to let the Canadiens leave on condition that the NHL would take care of the issue.