Mitch Marner, Morgan Rielly have “heated exchange” in practice

It's just the reality of professional sports that tempers will at times flare up, even between teammates. We've seen multiple examples over the years of teammates getting into it with one another in practice with both verbal and physical jousting, and we got another example of the former yesterday.

Toronto Maple Leafs teammates Morgan Rielly and Mitch Marner appeared to have what was described as a brief and "heated" disagreement during yesterday's practice. It started when the veteran defenseman took a shot from the point during a power play drill that hit Marner. In the heat of the moment, Marner voiced his disagreement with Rielly.

But according to both players, there is no issue between the two of them.

"We're not getting into that, are we? There's nothing. I'm joking with him all day," Marner insisted. "Nothing happened. It was fine. We were joking and having fun with each other, that's what we do."

"Mark, ask him (Rielly) the same question you asked me. I need him to answer too. Listen to this one, you're going to laugh," Marner then quipped as he watched Rielly's interview. 

"No I'm not, I'm going to answer it," Rielly said.

Before Rielly could continue, Marner would once again interject. 

"That was the question," Marner said. "I said nothing went on. I said I was chirping you about that shot and we were having a good laugh and we're buddies."

"No one was mad at all," Rielly confirmed.

The Maple Leafs take on the Chicago Blackhawks this afternoon in the Windy City.

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