Tanner Jeannot goes after Nikita Zadorov after receiving a dirty hit from behind
Los Angeles Kings forward Tanner Jeannot and Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov have been going at it all game this afternoon.
In the Boston Bruins third game of the season, defenseman Nikita Zadorov made headlines by delivering a huge open-ice hit on Los Angeles Kings forward Tanner Jeannot. The Bruins, trailing 1-0 after a power-play goal by Trevor Moore, were struggling to find their rhythm, much like they did in their season opener against the Florida Panthers. Zadorov's hit was an attempt to energize his team & shift the momentum.
The hit occurred when Jeannot was carrying the puck along the boards. Zadorov stepped up & laid a thunderous open ice hit sending Jeannot to the ice. This came after Zadorov had already been penalized earlier in the period for a boarding hit on Jeannot, earning him a 2-minute minor.
Unhappy with the physical play, Jeannot reacted by chasing Zadorov across the ice, challenging him to a fight. However Zadorov who stands at 6 foot 6 & weighs 250 pounds did not engage in the scrap. It's likely he would have overpowered Jeannot in a fight given his size & strength advantage.
Zadorov's physical presence on the ice is part of his role & his hit on Jeannot was his way of trying to fire up a Bruins team that had been lackluster in the early parts of the hockey game. The Bruins however continue to face challenges as they try to shake off their sluggish start to their season & find some consistency.
