""I just see Big Z towering over him, so obviously you want to protect your teammate, especially Schaef," Duclair said postgame. "We have each other's backs in this locker room. We're all brothers in here. We're going to do whatever it takes to protect each other.""
""I love how Duclair jumped in," Roy said. "The reaction of our guys, I mean, that's what you're looking for. They're a tight group. They back each other, and that I will say, I'm proud of them for that... Eventually, he's (Schaefer) going to have the same protection of the star players.""
""I love these guys," Schaefer said. "They always have my back and I'll always have their back."
Matthew Schaefer continues a stellar rookie start and is drawing extra attention from opposing teams on and off the puck. In a 4-3 shootout loss, Boston's Nikita Zadorov was called for roughing after taking out Schaefer while the rookie was on his knees. Anthony Duclair immediately jumped on Zadorov's back to protect Schaefer, and teammates rallied behind that response. Patrick Roy praised the reaction, calling the group tight and proud of how they backed each other, and said Schaefer will eventually receive the same protection afforded to star players. Schaefer expressed appreciation for his teammates' support and vowed to reciprocate.
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