Bruins’ Nikita Zadorov Trolls Islanders Fans After Matthew Schaefer Incident
Nikita Zadorov continued to stir the pot after the Bruins' game against the Islanders at UBS Arena. The defenseman took to social media to troll Islanders fans who messaged him following a physical altercation with rookie Matthew Schaefer during the Islanders’ 4-3 shootout loss.
Zadorov’s Social Media Response
Sharing screenshots of direct messages he received—mostly insults from presumed Islanders supporters—Zadorov responded sharply:
“Get out of my DMs and go to the rink to cheer for your team. THAT PLACE WAS A [LIBRARY] TONIGHT!!!”
The On-Ice Incident with Schaefer
The confrontation occurred midway through the second period. Zadorov shoved Schaefer with his stick, causing the rookie to fall to the ice. When Schaefer attempted to rise, Zadorov pushed him back down, prompting Anthony Duclair and Islanders captain Anders Lee to rush in defense. This escalated as more Islanders players joined the fray.
Penalties Assessed
- Zadorov received a double minor for roughing.
- He was also penalized two minutes for interference.
Zadorov’s Post-Game Comments
After the match, Zadorov joked about wanting to increase his penalty minutes from last season. He also mocked the crowd noise, implying the arena was unusually quiet.
“I want to raise my numbers. That place was a library tonight,” he joked.
Summary
Nikita Zadorov cleverly used social media to get under the skin of Islanders fans, turning an on-ice tussle with Matthew Schaefer into a post-game spectacle both online and off.