Brady Tkachuk thrown around by Nikita Zadorov during heavyweight fight
Photo credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Nikita Zadorov did not wait around. The Bruins defenseman dropped the gloves with Brady Tkachuk roughly two seconds into Sunday's matinee at TD Garden, turning the opening faceoff against the Florida Panthers into a brawl before most fans had settled into their seats.
Both players received five-minute fighting majors, and the sequence set an immediate tone for a game between Atlantic Division rivals. Boston entered at 12-4-1 and atop the division, while Florida arrived at 9-5-2.
Bruins Strike Early After the Fight
The Bruins made the most of the early momentum. Elias Lindholm scored at 4:50, Michael Eyssimont followed at 6:11, and Marco Geekie converted a power play chance at 15:59 to build a 3-0 cushion.
Carter Verhaeghe answered for Florida on the man advantage at 18:05, with Brady and Matthew Tkachuk earning the assists. Boston carried a 3-1 lead through two periods.
Assistant coach Steve Spott told NESN the matchup features “two teams that genuinely dislike each other.” He added that Zadorov set the tone for Boston and that the Bruins wanted to keep the rest of the game at 5-on-5.
A Rivalry With a History
The bad blood is not new. Zadorov and Tkachuk had a memorable run-in on Jan. 23, 2025, at TD Garden, when Tkachuk captained the Ottawa Senators.
Zadorov was caught on a mic'd-up clip chirping him during that game, and the two eventually fought late, with both receiving game misconducts.
Zadorov, who leads the NHL in penalty minutes, has built a reputation in Boston as the player willing to answer the bell for his teammates.
Florida, meanwhile, has long leaned on the Tkachuk brothers for edge and production. Brady Tkachuk entered play with 10 goals in 17 games, tops on the Panthers.
Fans online reacted quickly to the clip. Early fan voting on HockeyFights favored Zadorov by a wide margin, though only 15 votes had been cast. With both clubs expected to chase the Atlantic Division all season, this will not be the last time tempers flare when they meet.
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