Mathew Barzal has never been shy about standing up for his teammates, especially a teenager carrying the weight of being the No. 1 overall pick. But Sunday night in Columbus raised an uncomfortable question for the New York Islanders: did their star forward cross a line, and did the moment demand it?
Early in the second period against the Columbus Blue Jackets, rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer was tripped when Mason Marchment extended a knee in the neutral zone. It was Marchment’s second penalty involving Schaefer, following a roughing call in the first period, and it immediately drew the attention of Islanders players on the ice.