"Say goodbye to Zadorov"; "Season in a nutshell": Boston fans gutted after Nikita Zadorov's stick break causes Bruins' 3-2 loss to Hurricanes 

The Boston Bruins faithful were disappointed after Thursday night's 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, with the decisive moment coming from an unlikely source – Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov.

With the game tied 2-2 and just 19 seconds remaining, Zadorov attempted to clear the puck from the right circle, but his stick unexpectedly broke, leading to a turnover that allowed Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis to score the game-winning goal.

Fans immediately took to social media to vent their frustration, with one fan saying on X/Twitter:

"Say goodbye to zadorov, please!"

Another fan wrote:

"That was hilarious. I mean, really that’s the Bruins season in a nutshell. I really hope they trade Marchand so he can escape this dumpster fire. He deserves one last chance at a cup."

Here are some more reactions from fans on X:

"Should have spent more on decent sticks instead of Swaman contract," one fan wrote.

"Losses are inevitable. But the breaking of the stick to give up a goal with practically no time left is just divine intervention at this point," another fan wrote.

"Zadorov with an amazing assist!" a fan commented.

"Why are ppl blaming Zadorov there? I know he’s sucked this season but his stick broke. It’s not like he intentionally gave Jarvis the puck lmao," one fan added.

The Bruins' record dropped to 28-28-8 on the season, leaving them second-last in the Atlantic Division with just 64 points.

Morgan Geekie scored both goals for the Bruins, while Joonas Korpisalo stopped 20 shots.

For the Hurricanes, Sebastian Aho and Brent Burns also found the back of the net while Pyotr Kochetkov had 32 saves to secure the victory.

Game Recap: Bruins 3-2 loss against Hurricanes

Aho got Carolina on the board early with a short-handed goal at 6:29 of the first. Geekie answered late in the period, tying it 1-1 by burying a rebound. Burns restored the Hurricanes' lead at 2:06 of the second with a wrist shot that deflected off Parker Wotherspoon.

Geekie struck again at 1:14 of the third, evening the score 2-2 with a slick backhand. But with just 19 seconds left, Jarvis delivered the game-winner, lifting Carolina to a 3-2 victory over Boston.

The Bruins now turn their focus to their next matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on Saturday.