Maple Leafs Concerned Over Zadorov's Hit on Laughton
Leafs centre Scott Laughton left Saturday's game after a heavy hit by Bruins defenceman Nikita Zadorov in the second period. The Boston Bruins won 5-3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena.
“I thought it was a head shot. I gotta take a closer look at it,” said Bruins coach Craig Berube after the game.
Laughton is expected to miss Sunday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes, though Berube is uncertain about his return timeline.
Players React to the Hit
Nikita Zadorov delivered a notable hit, prompting Leafs winger Bobby McMann to confront him afterwards.
“I didn’t really see the whole thing, just caught it out of the corner of my eye. I didn’t like the hit from what I saw and wanted to make sure he knew I didn’t like it,” McMann said.
“I didn’t see it, to be honest, super clean. But don’t like anything high that’s for sure. Our bench didn’t like it either. Not an easy thing by Bobby to get in there and step up for Laughton — that was a hell of a job by him,” added centre John Tavares.
Injury Background
Laughton had recently just returned to play after recovering from a lower-body injury sustained during training camp.
Author's summary: The Maple Leafs are troubled by Zadorov's hit on Laughton, which caused Laughton to leave the game and miss the next, drawing strong reactions from players and coaches alike.