NHL DoPS Makes Official Decision on Marchand-Gostisbehere After Controversial Ejection

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals was brutal, and while the Florida Panthers came out victorious 5-2, it's safe to say that this should be a highly competitive series moving forward.

The biggest moment from this game came when Shayne Gostisbehere shot the puck directly at Panthers veteran Brad Marchand, after which the two dropped the gloves, earning Marchand a 10-minute major as the officials clearly seemed to miss the play that instigated the fight.

Marchand may have tried to lay a hit on Gostisbehere moments before this, but many believe that didn't justify the play to shoot the puck directly at Marchand, and unfortunately, it was the Panthers veteran that saw discipline in this situation.

While the NHL's Department of Player Safety has been highly inconsistent for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and much of the 2024/25 season, they appear to have gotten things right in this situation.

According to reporter Eric Engels, there is to be no further discipline for Marchand for his role in the fight with Gostisbehere, and while the DoPS got it right in this situation, they've also made some very questionable calls that had some fans potentially expecting a suspension or at the least a fine for the veteran.

On top of that, Engels notes that nothing will come from Andrei Svechnikov running into goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky either, as the league is clearly putting it on the players in this series to work things out.

That means that Game 2 should be another brutal, intense, physical game, and with both teams desperate for a Stanley Cup Finals appearance, it appears that we're in for a fantastic series.