Avalanche All-Star forward Nathan MacKinnon took a blow from Bruins forward Taylor Hall that left him bleeding on the ice Wednesday night.
Just over two minutes into Colorado's matchup with Boston in Denver, Hall extended his left shoulder and collided with MacKinnon at the Avs' blue line. The hit caused MacKinnon's stick to whack him directly in the face. MacKinnon grabbed his head before blood began flowing onto the ice. Trainers rushed to attend to him.
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MacKinnon was able to skate off the ice with the trainers. He walked directly into the locker room as both benches made noise for him.
MacKinnon down the tunnel after this hit from Hall pic.twitter.com/jXq8E6urab
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) January 27, 2022
Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog responded to the hit by pushing Hall into the boards in front of the Boston bench. Landeskog went at Hall later in the game as well, pressing him into the boards until an official separated them.
Gabriel Landeskog - not a fan of Taylor Hall:
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) January 27, 2022
pic.twitter.com/8ovayrupUP
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Hall was initially assessed a five-minute major penalty, but after officials reviewed the play he was given just a two-minute minor for interference.
Nathan MacKinnon left the ice after a big hit from Taylor Hall.
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 27, 2022
In the end, Hall received a two-minute penalty for interference. pic.twitter.com/dVIn1etL8W
The Avs announced after the end of the first period that MacKinnon had an upper-body injury and would not return. The team has not provided updates on the severity of the injury. MacKinnon played two shifts and about 56 seconds before he was knocked in the head by his stick.
About nine minutes after MacKinnon left the ice, Kurtis MacDermid scored to give Colorado a 1-0 lead. Boston, though, came back in the second period and scored three goals in about six minutes. The Bruins led 3-1 after two periods.
The Avalanche rallied with two goals in the third period — the second was by Landeskog at 19:23 with an extra attacker on the ice — to tie the game 3-3 and force overtime. All-Star defenseman CaIe Makar then won it for the Central Division-leading Avs with a power-play goal 3:01 into the extra session. Colorado has now won eight in a row.
MacKinnon was voted captain of the Central Division team for the Feb. 5 All-Star Game in Las Vegas.