NHL Player Safety won’t discipline Brad Marchand for hit on John Tavares

Islanders center John Tavares looks on against the Flyers at... — Islanders center John Tavares looks on against the Flyers at Barclays Center on Nov. 22, 2017. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke

By Arthur Staplearthur.staple@newsday.comDecember 11, 2017

No one in the Islanders’ room was pleased with the NHL Department of Player Safety’s decision not to hold a hearing for Brad Marchand after his interference major on John Tavares on Saturday in Boston.

Marchand appeared to extend his arms to make contact with Tavares’ head, sending the Islanders’ captain sprawling.

“Things are targeted, things happen spontaneously,” Doug Weight said. “But to me, the ones that are premeditated, it’s unfortunate when we only look at results. So if Johnny lies there and he is hurt, there’d probably be something done. I don’t know the logic in that.”

Tavares did stay down for a few seconds on Saturday but skated back to the bench and finished the game, a 3-1 Islanders loss. Marchand was not given a game misconduct to go with the major. David Backes got tossed for a head butt on Andrew Ladd during a scrum that also received no further discipline from the league.

“Like I said the other night, the video speaks for itself,” Tavares said. “I don’t have anything else to say about it.”

The Bruins will visit Barclays Center on Jan. 2.

Boychuk, Hickey out

The Islanders have had eight healthy defensemen for the majority of the season, but that depth has dwindled rapidly.

Johnny Boychuk (lower body) missed his third straight game on Monday, still not ready to return after blocking a shot late in last week’s loss in Tampa. Boychuk did skate on Monday morning but appears to be targeting a return later in the week.

Thomas Hickey was placed on injured reserve on Sunday after suffering an upper-body injury on Saturday. He stepped up to hit Backes and initiated a big collision right before Backes and Ladd engaged one another.