Nikita Zadorov put Connor Bedard on the receiving end of a big hit, and the Bruins are playing the Blackhawks right now.
Boston and Chicago were in the second period at last check, with 15:57 left on the clock. The score is not something we're going to guess at.
The physical matchup was always going to be lopsided. Zadorov is listed at 6'7 and 255 pounds. Bedard is 5'10 and 190.
Zadorov has not scored this season, but the four assists and a +6 rating tell you he's been useful for the Bruins in 13 games. He also has 33 penalty minutes, and that number is part of the package.
Bedard arrives with 3 goals and 4 assists in seven games. One of those goals and two of the assists came on the power play, so Chicago leans on him with the man advantage.
He's also sitting at a -2 rating. Over his NHL career, Bedard has 78 goals in 226 games, which is why every defenseman in the league knows exactly where number 98 is on the ice.
Zadorov has done this for a long time. He carries 1,031 penalty minutes over 817 career games, and a hit on the most visible player on the other bench is not out of character.
Why the Zadorov hit matters for the Atlantic race
Boston sits first in the Atlantic at 9-4-1, but the Bruins have lost two straight, including a 1-4 loss at St. Louis on Thursday. A team in that spot needs its big defenseman making the opponent's best player uncomfortable.
The risk is the usual one with Zadorov. A defenseman with 33 penalty minutes already can't afford to hand a power-play unit that has produced three of Bedard's points a free look. The hit is good hockey. The next trip to the box would not be.
BHF noted that Bedard was crushed by Zadorov.
The Bruins have a quick turnaround after this one, hosting Vegas on Monday, November 2, with Marco Sturm still looking to stop the two-game slide.
