Bruins’ Nikita Zadorov Trolls Islanders Fans After Schaeffer Incident
Nikita Zadorov wasn’t finished stirring things up with the Islanders and their fans after leaving the ice at UBS Arena. The Bruins defenseman took to social media to mock Islanders fans who messaged him on Instagram following his confrontation with rookie Matthew Schaefer during the Islanders' 4-3 shootout loss.
DMs from Islanders Fans
Zadorov shared screenshots of direct messages he received, mostly insults from presumed Islanders supporters, ranging from calling him a "scumbag" to other derogatory names.
“Get out of my DMs and go to the rink to cheer for your team,” Zadorov wrote in an Instagram Story post. “THAT PLACE WAS A [LIBRARY] TONIGHT!!!”
The On-Ice Incident
The altercation occurred midway through the second period when Zadorov shoved Matthew Schaefer with his stick, knocking the rookie to the ice. When Schaefer tried to get up, Zadorov pushed him down again.
- Anthony Duclair and Islanders captain Anders Lee rushed in to defend Schaefer.
- Other Islanders players joined in shortly after.
- Zadorov was penalized with a double minor for roughing and two minutes for interference.
Zadorov’s Post-Game Comments
After the game, Zadorov joked about seeing his penalty minutes from last season and wanting to increase those totals. He also taunted Islanders fans about the quiet atmosphere inside UBS Arena during the match.
“I saw my penalty minutes last season and want to raise my numbers,” he joked.
Author’s Summary
Nikita Zadorov used social media to mock Islanders fans and sabre-rattled about his penalty minutes after a physical on-ice clash with rookie Matthew Schaefer.