The New York Islanders may have lost 4-3 to the Boston Bruins at UBS Arena, but the team sticks together come what may. The Islanders’ adorned rookie, former first overall pick, Matthew Schaefer, can rely on his teammates no matter how trying the times get. Schaefer has already created history by becoming the youngest defenseman to have a multi-goal game to his credit, surpassing Bobby Orr.
The rookie blueliner is a sentimental subject for the team, so when the Bruins’ Nikita Zadorov gave Schaefer a tough time, he got it back in equal measure. Boston may have won the game, but there is no respite for Zadorov.
Nikita Zadorov Must Bear the Brunt of Going After Matthew Schaefer
The sight of Zadorov roughing up Schaefer is not for the faint of heart, as the 18-year-old fell to the ground, obviously overpowered by the 30-year-old defenseman. The Islanders jumped right in to protect Schaefer, especially captain Anders Lee. After Lee appeared on the scene, the skirmishes between the two teams escalated.
Speaking on the subject, Islanders’ Anthony Duclair, who was one of the first to come to Schaefer’s rescue, stated that it was a no-brainer for the team to protect the 18-year-old when they saw the prominent figure of Zadorov towering over him.
“I just see Big Z towering over him. Obviously, you want to protect your teammate, especially Schaef. We have each other’s backs in this locker room. We’re all brothers in here, and we’re gonna do whatever it takes to protect each other,” Duclair said.
ZADOROV WAS ROUGHING UP SCHAEFER AND THEN EVERYONE GOT INVOLVED 🫨👊 pic.twitter.com/AemuFuzAWV
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) November 5, 2025
Schaefer was grateful for everything and later expressed his admiration for the camaraderie that exists among the Islanders’ roster. “We’re a family in here. I love these guys. I know they always have my back, and I will always have their back.”
Zadorov had to deal with immense backlash from social media users who expressed their disgust for the defenseman for targeting a rookie like Schaefer.
One NHL fan called the blueliner a “loser”, bluntly stating that he only ever goes after smaller players but avoids confrontations otherwise. “What a loser Zadorov is. Always picks on the smaller players but rarely answers the bell when called by a legit tough guy.”
“Going after rookies is corny,” stated another user in the aftermath of the skirmish.
Another user kept their assessment of the Bruins defenseman short and straightforward. “Dirty Player.”
Moreover, some Boston fans also found it challenging to justify Zadorov’s behavior, as one fan of the franchise expressed on social media. “As a Bs fan, really hate to see it. What a bone headed play by zadorov.”
The social media backlash did not stop there. Something about the blueliner targeting a much younger player, especially the first overall pick, really rattled some people as they raided Zadorov’s Instagram DM to channel their anger.
Hockey is littered with instances of downright unbelievable confrontations, but if the Zadorov episode teaches us something, it would be that messing with Schaefer comes at a high price.