Oilers' goalie Stuart Skinner leaves game briefly after collision with Bruins' Nikita Zadorov
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner, right, falls back after a collision with Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov (91) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Boston. Credit: AP/Charles Krupa
BOSTON — Boston defenseman Nikita Zadorov wanted to make sure he apologized to Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner as soon as he saw him.
Skinner left Tuesday night’s game in Boston late in the first period after a hard collision with Zadorov, but was back on the ice for the start of the second period in the Oilers' 4-0 victory.
“He got me pretty good,” Skinner said after making 26 saves in about 55 minutes. “I think that’s like the fifth hit I’ve got this year. He apologized after, at the start of the second period, which was really nice of him to do. It’s an NHL play. It happened.”
Zadorov said he didn’t want to hurt Skinner.
“I skated to him,” the 6-foot-6 Zadorov said of the apology. “I wouldn’t want to hurt anybody on the ice. I wouldn’t want anybody to do that to my goalie either, so I felt like it was fair to say that there was no intention to hurt him over there or anything like that.”
Zadorov was trying to cut in front of the net with the puck and was inside Oilers’ defenseman Brett Kulak when he collided with the goalie, sending his mask flying off when he went face first onto the ice.
After staying on his knees for a few minutes talking to a team trainer, Skinner got up and skated off. He headed to the dressing room and was replaced by Calvin Pickard with 5:25 left in the period.
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner lays on the ice after a collision with Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Boston. Credit: AP/Charles Krupa
He went the locker room to be checked out for a concussion.
Zadorov got a minor penalty for goaltender interference.
“Obviously that was quite a hit,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “It’s difficult. They made the right call. He felt all right and it was mandatory that the spotters take him out and check him out.”
