New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin and Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand mixed things up Friday while both were in the penalty box.
Panarin was seen throwing his glove at Marchand over what the Bruins star apparently said to him during a confrontation. Panarin revealed the nature of Marchand's remarks.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"I didn't really understand what he said in the moment because we had a little conversation with bad energy," Panarin said, via USA Today.
"Then I hear something about Russia in that moment, and then with that energy, that can't be something good about Russia. So, that's why I lose my mind and then I did what I did."
PUTIN CRITIC FINDS SUPPORT FROM NHL STAR ARTEMI PANARIN ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Panarin took a two-week leave of absence last year following tabloid allegations from a former coach that he attacked a woman in Latvia almost a decade ago. Panarin denied the claim. Andrei Nazarov, a former NHL player who coached Panarin in the Kontinental Hockey League, said at the time he was motivated to speak about the alleged attack because he disagreed with Panarin’s criticism of Russian President Putin.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
In January, Panarin announced his support for Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was poisoned last year. The Rangers star said in a 2019 interview that Putin "no longer understands what’s right and what’s wrong."
Panarin was fined $5,000 for the Marchand incident
The Associated Press contributed to this report.