When the Flyers take the ice for Game 6 against the Montreal Canadiens, they’ll be doing so without one of their top-pair defensemen. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety has suspended defenseman Matt Niskanen for one playoff game for his hit on Brendan Gallagher, one which led to a broken jaw and surgery that will keep him out for at least the rest of the series:
The Department of Player Safety released the following explanation:
“The original intent of the play was to deliver a forceful stick foul to the upper body of an opponent. Players are responsible for their stick at all times. And when a player attempts to intentionally use his stick to deliver a blow to an opponent, he cannot necessarily be excused of responsibility when the blow recklessly lands in an unintended area.”
While the DoPS ruled that it was a “reckless” hit delivered by Niskanen in an attempt to deliver a deliberate crosscheck, they opted to suspend him for just one game. While I’m sure the Montreal media -who openly campaigned for a suspension in a way I’ve never seen before- are sure to be disappointed Niskanen received such a short suspension, the DoPS explained their rationale as such:
Now the question is who will replace Niskanen on the team’s top defensive pairing. It’s a critical one, as his consistent play and calming effect on the ice has led in part to the bounce-back season Ivan Provorov has put together.
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