ELMONT, NY — Matthew Schaefer is going through the usual rite of passage that any young, developing star in the NHL has to hurdle, and he got another full taste of it on Tuesday night.

Midway through the second period, while pinching down under the goal line to supplement his New York Islanders' attack in the Boston Bruins' zone, Schaefer got mixed up with veteran defenseman Nikita Zadorov, who did not hide his displeasure with sharing the ice with the impressive rookie blue liner.

Zadorov first sent a high cross-check near the face of Schaefer, toppling the 18-year-old to the ice. When Schaefer proceeded to hold onto the stick of the Bruins' defenseman, Zadorov delivered another blow to the face, throwing the young Islander backward into the boards.

"There's going to be guys that come

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