FIGHT NIGHT AT THE HOCKEY GAME

Hockey star attacks rival with his STICK and sparks huge brawl in wild midgame meltdown

 

By Jack Bezants 

 

Daily Mail

Dec 28, 2025

 

 

 

A massive brawl erupted in Sunday's New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets game 

 

The fight was started by Blue Jackets' Mason Marchment tripping of Islanders' Matthew Schaefer 

 

A wild brawl erupted in Sunday night's NHL game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Islanders, sparked by Mason Marchment tripping 2025 first-round draft pick Matthew Schaefer.

Young Islanders' star Schaefer went flying through the air before sliding across the ice as the play unfolded, before his teammate Mat Barzal took it upon himself to take revenge.

Barzal slowly skated towards Marchment before brutally slashing him across the leg with his stick, sending the Blue Jays man crumpling down onto the ice.

As Barzal turned away, Marchment's teammates swarmed Barzal and unleashed a barrage of punches before the fellow Islanders piled in to make it a massive brawl.

The referees were helpless, trying to intervene and stop the punches being thrown but the players took little notice. Eventually, a ruck of players pulled themselves apart after sliding into the wall.

With the game tied at 1-1 in the second period, Barzal was then ejected from the game for taking matters into his own hands and will potentially be fined and suspended for hitting out at Marchment.

And when Mat Barzal hit Marchand with his stick, players from both teams fought back

 

Patrick Roy, the Islanders head coach, refused to criticize Barzal when he spoke to reporters after the game.

'We’re never going to blame a teammate for going to try and defend a teammate,' he said. 'We thoought it was a knee on Schaefer.' 

For his involvement, Marchment received a two-minute tripping penalty. He had tripped Schaeder earlier in the game, during the first quarter, and got the same punishment.

And the 30-year-old was punished again for the same thing later in the game, this time tripping Islanders winger Simon Holmstrom. 

But Marchment, playing only his third game since his acquisition from the Seattle Kraken, had the last laugh, with his team fighting their way to a surprise 4-2 win over the Islanders. 

Despite their win on Sunday, the Blue Jackets are last in the Eastern Conference's Metropolitan Division, with a 15-15 record.

The Islanders, meanwhile, are second on 21-14 and three points behind leaders Carolina Hurricanes.

The Islanders meet Chicago Blackhawks next, on Tuesday, while the Blue Jackets play Monday against Ottawa Senators.