The Boston Bruins' 2025-26 season has officially come to an end, and while making the playoffs was a surprise achievement for many, the exit was bittersweet. After a hard-fought Game 6 loss to the Buffalo Sabres (4-2), defenseman Nikita Zadorov revealed he was playing through a significant injury, adding a layer of toughness to the team's story.

David Pastrnak scored the Bruins' lone goal early in the second period, but the night took a turn when Charlie McAvoy was ejected for slashing Zach Benson, who had taken McAvoy down with a slewfoot. The Bruins struggled on home ice throughout the series, going 0-3 at TD Garden, and head coach Marco Sturm suggested the pressure of playing in front of the home crowd may have weighed on the team. "It was raw after the game," Sturm said, noting that it was too soon for players to dive into details. Still, he expressed pride in the squad and emphasized that the work to rebuild begins now.

Zadorov's revelation added a compelling layer to the Bruins' playoff run. After hinting at an undisclosed issue during Thursday's practice, the defenseman confirmed postgame, "I tore my MCL in Game 3. Fully torn off the bone, so I kind of played on it a little bit." His grit in suiting up despite such a severe injury speaks volumes about the team's determination.

Elsewhere in the league, the Golden Knights have advanced to the second round, joining the Sabres in moving on. The Lightning forced a Game 7 against Montreal, leaving just one matchup undecided until tomorrow night. The Devils' new general manager has already started making front office moves, and the finalists for the Jack Adams Award were announced—though Marco Sturm's name was notably absent.

As the second round kicks off tonight at 8:00 PM (with the Celtics playing Game 7 at 7:30 PM), the Bruins can take solace in their surprising run and the lessons learned. Happy Derby Day—catch up on all the action in today's Daily Bean.