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O'Reilly says Crosby apologized for spearing his groin

Kevin Hoffman / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Ryan O'Reilly isn't holding a grudge against Sidney Crosby.

The Buffalo Sabres forward says there are no hard feelings after the Pittsburgh Penguins star speared him in his nether regions early in Tuesday's game.

"It happens," O'Reilly told reporters Saturday, via TSN. "I didn't expect it and he apologized after the play and it was understood. (The spear) threw me off. I wasn't expecting anything and then something (happened), but he's a good guy. He's just playing hard and he takes a beating every night, too, so it happens."

Crosby wasn't penalized for the incident, and later claimed he simply misfired.

"(Later) as we were skating down the ice, he says, 'Sorry about that, I was going for your stick,'" O'Reilly said. "Would have been nice to get a (power play), but it happens."

Crosby also escaped discipline two nights later when his slash on Marc Methot shattered the Ottawa Senators defenseman's finger, an act the Penguins' captain also attributed to an attempted stick slash gone wrong.

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