[WATCH] Bruins heavyweight Nikita Zadorov answers the bell in spirited fight for landing big hit on Tage Thompson

Boston Bruins blue liner Nikita Zadorov featured a heavyweight tilt against the Buffalo Sabres' Jordan Greenway during the first period of Monday night’s matchup at the TD Garden.

The action started when Zadorov leveled Sabres forward Tage Thompson with a massive open-ice hit. Greenway stood up for his teammate by challenging Nikita Zadorov to drop the gloves. Zadorov obliged and the two combatants set off fireworks.

The bout between the behemoths ended with a decision favoring Zadorov. The pugilists landed multiple hits before crashing to the ice. There, the officials stepped in to break up the fisticuffs.

Zadorov and Greenway got major penalties for fighting, but not before drawing an ovation from the crowd and stick taps from the bench.