During the second period, Colorado Avalanche’s Matt Stienburg made his NHL fighting debut as he dropped gloves against the Boston Bruins’ Nikita Zadorov.

The encounter was captured on video by his proud father, Trevor, who documented the action from the arena. The two players exchanged several solid punches, showcasing their determination during the heavy tilt.

However, Nikita Zadorov, utilizing his size advantage, ultimately managed to take down Stienburg.

Watch the video of their fight here:

Matt Stienburg gets into his first NHL tilt and like a proud dad, pops was filming the whole thing 😅 pic.twitter.com/yjhwzbkS2s

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 17, 2024

Both players were hit with five-minute major penalties for fighting after their spirited bout. Additionally, Zadorov received a two-minute minor penalty for slashing against Stienburg.

Meanwhile, the Boston Bruins lead the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 after the end of the second period.

Nikita Zadorov praises Bruins’ team culture after win

The Boston Bruins emerged victorious after beating the Colorado Avalanche 4-3. After the game, Zadorov expressed his team’s dynamics during a postgame segment on TNT. He noted that witnessing the Bruins’ work ethic and camaraderie firsthand has been remarkable.

“It’s been unbelievable to watch it. You only hear it when you’re on other teams. When you come in here, how hard guys work, how they care about each other, how they buy into the system and the Bruins organization, mentality, and culture.”

Nikita Zadorov joined the Boston Bruins as a free agent in July. He acknowledged that adjusting to a new team environment takes time. As he continues to acclimate, Zadorov is focused on gaining the experience needed to enhance his performance with the Bruins.

“It still takes time to adjust,” Zadorov explained. “For me personally, I want to feel comfortable on the ice in every situation. It’s just the reps, the patterns every day you get there.”

The 29-year-old defenseman has picked up three points this season.