It’s not the best of times for the Boston Bruins and their fans. During a 7-1 loss to the LA Kings on Sunday, star goalie Jeremy Swayman tried to spark some energy by challenging Darcy Kuemper to a fight—but when Nikita Zadorov was asked about it, his response left fans confused.
Things just aren’t going the Bruins’ way right now. They traded captain Brad Marchand at the deadline, and since then, their results have taken a steep downturn. Boston is currently on a six-game losing streak after falling 7-2 to the Kings on Sunday, and frustration is clearly mounting.
In the second period, Bruins forward Marat Khusnutdinov skated into Kuemper, prompting the Kings goalie to jab him with his blocker before putting him in a headlock. Swayman wasn’t going to let that slide. The Bruins netminder skated to center ice to challenge Kuemper, and both dropped the gloves before officials intervened.
Nikita Zadorov’s confusing words
Fans always love when goalies get involved in the rough stuff, but surprisingly, not all of Swayman’s teammates seemed to appreciate it. Swayman hasn’t had the best season, and when defenseman Nikita Zadorov was asked about the incident, his response only added to the confusion.
“Did you guys appreciate that Jeremy stuck up for Khusnutdinov?” The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa asked Zadorov.
“Is that what it is?” Zadorov replied. “Okay. I don’t know. No comment.”
Zadorov’s vague response has fueled speculation about potential tension in the Bruins’ locker room, with some believing he had trouble backing up his star goalie after the altercation.
READ MORE: Jeremy Swayman explains why he challenged Kuemper to a fight
