BOSTON (AP) — 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.
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.”
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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. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
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. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Ski patrollers at the biggest U.S. ski resort reached a tentative deal with the corporate owner of Utah's Park City Mountain Resort to end a strike and resume normal operations after almost two weeks of closed terrain and long lift lines at the busiest time of year.
Neither the Park City Professional Ski Patrollers Association nor Colorado-based Vail Resorts released details about the agreement ahead of a planned ratification vote Wednesday.
Whatever happens, the strike brought attention — and judging from the many supportive car honks for strikers, sympathy — to the struggle of ski patrollers to make ends meet in pricey mountain communities.
A union win could produce better pay for other ski workers, predicted one industry watcher.
“Generally when one group of employees successfully bargains for a contract they think is fair, it does tend to create the ‘rising tide lifts all boats’ dynamic,” said Alex Kaufman, a former ski resort marketing executive and podcaster.
Park City, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of Salt Lake City, is a resort town of about 8,000 people where the average home price tops $1.5 million and the cost of living is well above average.
The 200 ski patrollers at Park City Mountain Resort went on strike on Dec. 27 alleging unfair bargaining in negotiations since March. The tentative deal to be in effect through April 2027 had the unanimous approval of ski patrol negotiators, according to a joint statement from the union and the resort.
“Everyone looks forward to restoring normal resort operations and moving forward together as one team,” the statement said.
Ski patrollers maintain safety by monitoring terrain, responding to accidents, hauling hurt skiers downhill and reducing avalanche risk, such as by releasing built-up snow with explosives when nobody’s nearby. It’s specialized work where familiarity with a resort’s terrain and how to respond to a variety of injuries and situations can be valuable.
It's also a seasonal job. Many ski patrollers work as fly-fishing, mountain biking and whitewater rafting guides in warmer months.
Pointing to steep inflation since 2022, the Park City Professional Ski Patrollers Association sought a pay increase from $21 to $23 an hour. The union said $27 is a livable wage in Park City, which is also home to Deer Valley Resort.
It also sought higher pay for the longest-serving patrollers. The current scale tops out after five years on the job.
Vail Resorts, which with 42 properties on three continents calls itself the world’s largest mountain resort operator, said it already had been generous with the Park City Mountain Resort ski patrollers, pointing to a 50% base-pay increase from $13 to $21 an hour in 2022. It was offering a 4% pay increase for most patrollers and $1,600 each year for their equipment.
Ski labor negotiations aren't unusual, but this strike happened after talks went much longer into the year than usual, drawing attention during a busy time, observed Kaufman.
"The issue was probably never really about the money or benefits. It was a conscious decision by Vail Resorts to let it bleed into the holidays," Kaufman said. “They overplayed their hand and paid the price.”
Despite long waits, even some Park City Mountain Resort skiers have been sympathetic to the workers. “Pay your employees!” they chanted from lift lines in videos posted on social media.
Labor unions have secured meaningful employer concessions in recent months following strikes by Boeing factory workers, dockworkers at East and Gulf coast ports, video game performers, and hotel and casino workers on the Las Vegas Strip.
The 45,000 dockworkers’ ongoing threats to resume their strike over automation would shut down ports and could damage the economy as President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Park City Ski Patrol strike as they demand livable wages in Park City, Utah Jan 7. 2025, (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)
Park City Ski Patrol strike as they demand livable wages in Park City, Utah Jan 7. 2025, (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)
Park City Ski Resort lines and lifts are shut down due to the strike by the Park City Ski Patrol requesting livable wages in Park City, Utah, Tuesday, Jan 7. 2025,. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)
Park City Ski Patrol strike as they demand livable wages in Park City, Utah Jan 7. 2025, (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)
