New Bruin Defends Teammate, Steps Up For First Fight Vs. Avalanche

Nikita Zadorov built up a massive new look at the blue line for the Boston Bruins entering the season after signing a six-year deal in free agency this summer.

He tallied two points to begin the season in Boston’s 2-2 start and took the chance to enforce the game behind his teammates on Wednesday night against the Colorado Avalanche.

Bruins center Matthew Poitras took a high hit in the second period at Ball Arena, leading Zadorov to drop the gloves with Avalanche center Matt Stienburg, who made his NHL debut.

Zadorov ate a few punches from the rookie before the Bruins defenseman brought Stienburg down to the ice.

You can watch the full fight here.

Boston had all the early momentum through two periods with a 4-2 lead, including a pair of goals in just 13 seconds from David Pastrnak and Hampus Lindholm after several quality chances through 40 minutes. The Bruins showed their attack early on while the Avalanche struggled in their own zone amid a winless start to the 2024-25 season.

The Bruins brought the early tempo hoping to set the tone for the three-game road trip against the Avalanche, the Utah Hockey Club and the Nashville Predators.