Nikita Zadorov Sends Blunt Message To Teammates Ahead Of Bruins-Canadiens
Zadorov and David Pastrnak both have said Tuesday is a must-win
Nikita Zadorov sees many important layers to the Boston Bruins’ meeting with the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.
The B’s are looking to end a three-game skid that’s seen them lose three straight games at TD Garden against Canadian teams — the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks and Ottawa Senators, respectively.
Now, the Bruins face their biggest rival in the Habs, who have utilized the time Boston has been scuffling to supplant it for third place in the Atlantic Division standings with a game still in hand.
A regulation win for the Bruins would give them the two points they need to pull back level with Montreal at 43 points before getting some downtime ahead of Saturday’s return to play against the Buffalo Sabres.
Zadorov, like David Pastrnak, said after the loss to Ottawa that the Bruins have to have Tuesday’s game.
“We need to win that game. We’re out of a playoff spot,” Zadorov said Sunday night, via WEEI’s Bridgette Proulx. “That’s not where we want to be. It’s really tight in the standings, but we know where we’re at. Nowhere near where we want to be as well, so we’ve got to show up against a big rivalry game.”
To Zadorov’s point, the Bruins, as of now, are the first team out in both the division and wild card races.
Of course, that only means so much when we’re not even to the midway point. But there really isn’t a ton of separation across the conference, and taking into account teams like the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs so far underachieving, you can see why there’s urgency to bank points.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on NESN.
