Overview
- Barzal received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for a two-handed slash on Marchment early in the second period, immediately after Marchment was whistled for tripping rookie Matthew Schaefer.
- The Department of Player Safety issued only a $5,000 fine, with no suspension, and said the money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund; Marchment drew in-game minors but no further discipline.
- Barzal’s ejection removed a key playmaker for roughly the final 38 minutes, and Columbus rallied with late third-period goals by Ivan Provorov and Kirill Marchenko to win 4-2.
- Islanders coach Patrick Roy and players publicly supported Barzal’s response as defending the 18-year-old Schaefer, and Barzal later said he had no regrets about standing up for his teammate.
- Coverage situates the incident within a season-long trend of opponents taking runs at Schaefer and underscores how CBA fine limits shaped the league’s disciplinary outcome.