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Brad Marchand Takes Shots at Gostisbehere Following Heated Exchange

Originally posted on Blade of Steel | By Jack Sutherland | Last updated May 24, 2025 6:57 PM ET

Panthers forward Brad Marchand took a swipe at Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere after they scrapped in Game 1 when tensions boiled over.

Tensions boiled over between Brad Marchand of the Florida Panthers and Shayne Gostisbehere of the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Marchand went for a devastating body check on Gostisbehere, but the defenseman managed to avoid it. He then responded by appearing to directly fire the puck at Marchand, leading him to immediately drop the gloves against him.

Marchand and the Panthers have won both games in Carolina, taking a commanding 2-0 series lead going into Game 3 in Florida tonight.

Marchand, in classic fashion as one of the NHL's best trash talkers and pests, took a shot at Gostisbehere by saying he didn't even know it was him that he was going against during the incident.

He was just a body in front of me. But once I saw him laying down there, I was like, 'Oh OK. That worked out.'

I wasn't really looking at his name. Saw black, saw red.

Gostisbehere himself addressed the incident after Game 1, calling it a 'tussle'.

Heated. I was pretty pissed off. He tried to take a run at me, I shot the puck at him. It is what it is. Had a little tussle.

Marchand has 12 points (3G, 9A) in 14 postseason games for the Panthers, who acquired him at the Trade Deadline from the divisional foe Boston Bruins.

Can the Hurricanes climb back into the series with a win tonight, or will the Panthers take a 3-0 stranglehold?

This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.

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