Nikita Zadorov Responds to Islanders Fans After Incident with Matthew Schaefer
Nikita Zadorov directed a message at Islanders fans following a confrontation with No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer during Tuesday night’s game at UBS Arena.
On his verified Instagram account, Zadorov wrote:
“Get out of my DMs and go to the rink to cheer for your team. That place was a library tonight.”
He posted this statement over a screenshot of direct messages he received right after the game.
Details of the On-Ice Incident
During the second period of the Islanders’ 4-3 shootout loss, Zadorov struck the 18-year-old Schaefer twice behind the Bruins’ net—first with a two-handed whack of his stick, then pushing him to the ice as Schaefer tried to regain balance.
This sparked a response from the Islanders, with captain Anders Lee and Anthony Duclair leading a charge toward Zadorov, resulting in a chaotic scrum.
Zadorov was penalized with a double-minor for roughing and an additional two minutes for interference. He and Lee continued an intense exchange while serving time in the penalty box.
Fan Reaction and Game Atmosphere
The crowd of 15,585 expressed their displeasure toward Zadorov for the rest of the game. This attendance was the fourth highest among the Islanders’ seven home games this season at the 17,255-capacity UBS Arena, which has recorded one sellout so far.
The Islanders did not comment on Zadorov’s social media post and chose not to practice on Wednesday. Fans made their presence felt by repeatedly chanting for Schaefer and goalie Ilya Sorokin.
“There’s going to be battles every night,” Schaefer said after the game.
Author’s Summary
Nikita Zadorov sharply addressed Islanders fans after a heated clash with rookie Matthew Schaefer, highlighting tensions during Tuesday’s game at UBS Arena.