The Flyers will be without the services of Matt Niskanen after his suspension for cross-checking.
Matt Niskanen was involved in a play with Brendan Gallagher along the boards. Niskanen came in with his stick, intending to get the back of Gallagher. Instead, the Canadiens forward turned and the stick went directly into his jaw. The Flyers managed to escape without a penalty on the play.
But they will not escape supplemental discipline. Niskanen will miss tomorrow night’s game as Philadelphia looks to once again eliminate Montreal.
The NHL Department of Player Safety accepted Niskanen’s defense that he was not intending to catch Gallagher in the face. The league also acknowledged the sudden decision by Gallagher to move his body.
Philadelphia’s Matt Niskanen has been suspended for one playoff game for Cross-checking Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher. https://t.co/x8zPyvNmGX
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) August 21, 2020
Niskanen has only been fined one by the league during his entire career. That is likely another reason the suspension is not as significant as it could’ve been.
The need for a suspension came due to the forceful nature of the hit and how, no matter the way Gallagher moved, there was intent to blow him over.
Gallagher ended up breaking his jaw on the play. He will need surgery and will be out for the rest of the series. Now, that may have only been another day if Philadelphia can pull out the victory tomorrow.
Niskanen has not been at his best during the playoffs. Among all defensemen, he has the worst Corsi for percentage at 40.09. The Flyers are even worse at driving the play when he’s on the ice. And they aren’t expected to score more with him out there.
It is still a blow to the Flyers defense. They will likely have to make a few adjustments, including who will join Ivan Provorov on the top pairing. Shayne Gostisbehere will almost certainly jump into the lineup.
This may also force the Flyers to break up the pairing of Travis Sanheim and Philippe Myers. One of them would probably go to the top pair, the only likely getting Gostisbehere as a partner. Either player would be suited to play along side Provorov. They have both excelled during the postseason.
It’s an unfortunate situation for Gallagher as the Canadiens lose a top player on their team. They will no doubt be coming out with a fire in them on Friday night.