The Soo Greyhounds said on Sunday they both resent and refute any suggestion members of their organization directed any comments of a racial nature toward Kitchener’s Givani Smith, during the best-of-seven, Western Conference final which ended here on Monday.

First reported on Saturday by Josh Brown, a veteran hockey reporter with the Waterloo Region Record newspaper, Smith, who is black, was the victim of racial slurs, threats and abuse.

Those offences took place, the report said, both before and after an incident in the moments following the Rangers Game 6 victory in Kitchener on April 29.

While celebrating his team’s win, Smith gave the finger to the Greyhounds bench. He was subsequently suspended for two games by the Ontario Hockey League for making an inappropriate gesture.

Brown wrote how ‘The Rangers heard derogatory comments from behind the team’s bench in Sault Ste. Marie during their seven-game series with the Greyhounds, and there were allegations that some players may have crossed the line as well.’

“I can say with 100 per cent certainty, at no time did anyone from our organization, our staff or our players utter a racial slur at Givani Smith,” Hounds head coach Drew Bannister said on Sunday.

Further, the Hounds coach spoke of how there was never a time during the series when allegations of such an occurrence were brought to his attention by the OHL or the Rangers organization.

“The first I heard about it was Saturday when the article by Josh Brown was published,” Bannister added. “If the league would have heard about such an incident, they would have dealt with it immediately.”

Smith could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

Meantime, Bannister explained how he immediately made a phone call to Rangers bench boss Jay McKee.

“He (McKee) told me with 100 per cent certainty there was no time anything was said to him about anything racial coming from our bench or our players,” Bannister added. “Jay said he was never made aware of that.”

OHL commissioner Dave Branch backed up Bannister’s comments in an interview with The Sault Star.

“Absolutely, I’ve never had any indication anyone from the Greyhounds organization was involved in uttering any sort of racial slur,” Branch said.

Bannister also said he has a “zero-tolerance policy” when it comes to racial insults or racial slurs.

“I wouldn’t put up with it from any our people,” he added.

Hounds general manager Kyle Raftis concurred.

“No one should ever have to put up with anything like that,” the GM said.

Bannister also spoke of how the OHL educates its players “on matters such as racism, sexism, religion and a number of issues.”

Further, the coach called OHL teams “leaders in our communities. It’s important for us to be good role models and as an organization, the Soo Greyhounds strive to be that.”

Meantime, Rangers general manager Mike McKenzie spoke of there being threats against Smith after the Rangers forced Game 7.

“There were threats, physical threats after Game 6,” McKenzie told The Waterloo Region Record. “Before we went up to the Sault, there were racial things in his inbox on social media. It was pretty disgusting to see some of the stuff he has to deal with.”

Branch also confirmed the fact that, on the eve of Game 7, played last Monday here in the Sault, the Rangers made him aware of threats – but not death threats — sent to Smith via social media.

“There were other messages that were degrading. That’s the way it was explained to me by the Rangers,” the commissioner added.

Branch said he contacted Raftis, received full cooperation from the Greyhounds, and security was beefed up for Game 7.

“No one deserves to be threatened and that’s the scary part of social media,” Raftis said.

“At no time did I say anything to Mr. Raftis about racial comments,” Branch stressed. “I spoke to Josh Brown on Friday and that’s the first indication I had about a possible racial aspect to this.”

Smith, a 20-year-old (1998 birth year) native of Toronto, received a police escort from his hotel to Essar Centre, Raftis confirmed.

He watched Game 7 from the press box, not an unusual occurrence during Greyhound games. Raftis confirmed security was nearby.

Both Branch and Raftis agree there were no incidents at Essar Centre.

While confirming the Greyhounds were not involved in any racial taunting of Smith, Branch did say he received “allegations from the Rangers that derogatory comments were directed to Kitchener players from the Greyhounds bench area.”

The commissioner said he was unable to be more specific.

Branch also said he had no indication Bannister was involved and spoke of how he believed it was “player to player. It’s trash-talking, which, unfortunately, can be part of the game.”

Bannister admitted as much saying insults and profanity are “unfortunately,” part of sports.

“We’d like to see that not be part of it,” the Soo coach added. “But it happens in every sport. Hockey is an emotional game, and people say things they regret afterwards.”