Bruins’ D-Man Calls Out Teammates Ahead of Must-Win Rivalry Game

Nikita Zadorov is challenging his teammates on the Boston Bruins ahead of what he calls a must-win game against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. Their final game before the holiday break, Zadorov — who is never shy to speak his mind — said this is a game a struggling Bruins team has to have.

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Speaking with the media this week and coming off three recent losses (to the Ottawa Senators, Edmonton Oilers, and Vancouver Canucks), the bruising blueliner put his team on the spot.

5-3-2 in their last 10 games, the Canadiens are struggling a bit, too. Zadorov sees this as a chance for the Bruins, who were on a roll, to rebound. “We need to win that game. We’re out of a playoff spot. That’s not where we want to be,” he said. “It’s really tight in the standings, but we know where we’re at. Nowhere near where we want to be as well, so we’ve got to show up against a big rivalry game.”

The Canadiens and Bruins have a long history and this will be one of those games players and fans mark on their calendars. Both teams are in the thick of it, but not in a place where they can afford losses or bad runs. The Canadiens are holding onto the second spot in the Atlantic Division, while the Bruins are tied, but sit outside a wildcard spot with 41 points.

Zadorov is one of the more interesting characters in the NHL. Against the Ottawa Senators, a game in which the Bruins badly lost, he was making fun of Nick Cousins as he skated back to the bench after Cousins covered up when they made body contact at the end of a shift.

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