Nikita Zadorov makes thoughts crystal clear on Sam Bennett's debatable fighting tactics in throwdown fight

Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov opened up about Florida Panthers defenseman Sam Bennett's questionable fighting tactics during Tuesday's matchup.

With the Bruins holding a narrow 3-2 lead in the closing seconds, Bennett cross-checked Zadorov in the face with less than three seconds remaining in the final frame.

Zadorov described the incident as a typical hockey moment, emphasizing his style of play as hard against any opponent rather than an attempt to send a message.

"I’m just playing hard. I’m in front, the guy cross-checks me in the face—I gotta step up for myself. So I think that was just a hockey moment," Nikita Zadorov said. "It wasn’t really about sending a message or anything like that. I play hard against any player in the league. So you can call it sending a message, but that’s just my style."

Zadorov landed a few right hands on Sam Bennett before both players fell, with Zadorov on top. Bennett then attempted to retaliate by taking a few shots at him while being restrained by a linesman.

The Bruins defenseman suggested that the incident should not be overanalyzed, saying:

"I didn’t see it. I mean, it’s emotions too. I was kind of pushing on him while he was laying down, then he took over from his side. So I think you guys don’t need to look too much into it. It’s just emotions for us. We’re all human. We all want to win. He’s a competitor too, so I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it," he added.

The Boston Bruins ultimately came out on top with a 3-2 win, bringing their winning streak to two games. The Bruins currently find themselves two points off a final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

How Nikita Zadorov's Bruins downed Florida Panthers

On Tuesday, the Boston Bruins (30-28-8) hosted the Florida Panthers (40-22-3) at TD Garden. The hosts came out on top with a 3-2 win over the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Dmitry Kulikov opened the scoring for the Panthers, putting them ahead 1-0 4:27 into the first period. The second period went goalless. Mackie Samoskevich doubled the Panthers' lead to 2-0 on the power play 4:49 into the final period.

The Boston Bruins responded with David Pastrnak's goal, cutting the deficit to 2-1 at the 8:56 mark. Just over four minutes later, Mason Lohrei tied it 2-2 for the Bruins. Pavel Zacha scored the winner for the hosts at 16:43.

Nikita Zadorov notched up an assist in the matchup for the Bruins. They'll be up against the Ottawa Senators (34-25-5) next on Thursday.