Nathan MacKinnon took a puck to the face late in the second period of Game 4 between the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild on Monday night in St. Paul, briefly turning a tight playoff battle into a scary scene. Trainers hustled onto the ice as MacKinnon went down, and he skated to the locker room with a towel pressed to his face, blood visible on both the ice and his jersey. He exited for treatment but was back on the Avalanche bench for the start of the third period.
MacKinnon Leaves The Ice, Then Comes Back
According to The Denver Post, the sequence unfolded with just over a minute left in the second period, with the score locked at 1-1. As trainers tended to MacKinnon, he skated off while blood remained on the ice. The outlet reports that his jersey was stained and his face was covered by a towel as he headed down the tunnel to the dressing room.
The AP game story, carried by outlets including Yahoo Sports, reports that the puck came off a clearing attempt by defenseman Devon Toews and struck MacKinnon point-blank in the face. Television replays showed Toews trying to clear the puck in front of the Colorado net when it instead caught MacKinnon flush, prompting an immediate response from the Avalanche medical staff.
Why It Matters
MacKinnon is the Avalanche’s offensive engine and has been central to Colorado’s postseason push, including a three-point night earlier in the series, per the Colorado Avalanche team recap. Any interruption to his availability would force the Presidents' Trophy winners to reshuffle minutes and redistribute playmaking duties in a tight second-round matchup.
What To Watch Next
For now, the key development is that MacKinnon returned to the bench and was available at the start of the third period, with the team set to provide formal injury updates after further evaluation overnight. Colorado Hockey Now had already noted pregame lineup tweaks that changed his supporting cast, and the Avalanche medical staff and coaches will sort through their checks and decisions ahead of the next game.
