The Mass. native. fighting for the Bruins' roster spot and dropping gloves against the Flyers

Billy Sweezey's chances of making the Bruins out of training camp are slim, but the Hanson native has positioned himself as a solid option on the blue line so far in camp.

On Saturday, he showed willingness to fight in Boston's away preseason game against the Flyers.

Late in the first period, Sweezey pushed back and forth with Philadelphia rookie Matvei Michkov and appeared to offer a one-on-one with the highly touted Russian.

“I got hit up and in the face. I have an exception to this. Probably innocent, probably an accident, but that's part of the game that I'm going to implement for myself, to be physical and tough,” the Yale graduate said.

While the 19-year-old declined, Flyers captain Sean Couturier was ready and eager and stepped in to equalize.

While neither player fired many direct shots, Sweezey's first push/punch dislodged Couturier's helmet, but its strap caught on his jersey and bounced back and forth between their heads as they attempted to fight.

Both players received 5-minute majors.

“Couturier came over and I wanted to show that I wasn’t afraid to answer the bell,” Sweezey said.

Sweezey signed a two-year contract with the Bruins on day one of free agency. The four-year Yale standout played nine career NHL games with the Blue Jackets during the 2022-23 season, but spent all of last year playing for the AHL's Cleveland Monsters.

But in those nine games two seasons ago, he fought Boston's Jakub Lauko for the first time in his career.

Sweezey will have an uphill battle for an NHL spot in Boston. Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Hampus Lindholm, Mason Lohrei, Nikita Zadorov and Andrew Peeke are likely the Bruins' top six defensemen, while Parker Wotherspoon and Ian Mitchell have the inside scoop at the seventh defenseman position.