Was Barzal's slash the right response for the Islanders to protect Mathew Schaefer?

"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. The instinct behind Barzal's reaction was understandable."

"What followed was swift and severe. Barzal retaliated with a two-handed slash to Marchment's leg, a move officials deemed excessive. The star center was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct, ending his night and putting the Islanders shorthanded at a critical moment. Barzal's ejection removed the Islanders' most dynamic forward from a tight game and handed momentum to Columbus, even though the Isles were able to kill the major penalty and gain some momentum as they carried a lead into the third period."

Early in the second period against the Columbus Blue Jackets, rookie Matthew Schaefer was tripped when Mason Marchment extended a knee in the neutral zone, drawing Islanders' attention. Mathew Barzal retaliated with a two-handed slash to Marchment's leg and was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct, ejecting him and leaving the Islanders shorthanded. The Islanders killed the major and retained a lead into the third, but Barzal's removal shifted momentum toward Columbus and raised the risk of supplemental discipline. The incident highlighted the team's protective stance toward the 18-year-old defenseman and the tension between policing opponents and harming team chances.

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