Bloodbath in Minnesota and MacKinnon is at the center of it
Nathan MacKinnon went down hard Monday night in Minnesota, and the Colorado bench held its breath.
The Avalanche superstar took a puck to the face during Game 4 against the Wild. He was shaken up and visibly bleeding on the way off the ice.
Anyone watching live had to look away. This wasn't a glancing deflection. This was a direct hit, and the broadcast caught all of it.
MacKinnon has been the engine of the Avs all postseason. The 30-year-old center leads the team with 11 points across 7 playoff games at plus-6.
His regular season was just as ridiculous. 53 goals. 127 points. Plus-57. The Hart Trophy short list had his name circled before April even ended.
Now Jared Bednar has a problem he didn't plan for. The series stood at 2-1 Colorado heading into the night, and the captain of the offense just took 80 grams of rubber to the face.
-
Bednar's Avs face the worst-case scenario in Round 2
This series has produced more storylines than scoring chances. The Josh Manson butt end on Michael McCarron earlier in the game already had Player Safety on the phone.
Now MacKinnon. Different injury, same series, same building. The Wild are throwing everything at Colorado and the bodies are stacking up.
The 12.6 million cap hit MacKinnon carries isn't just a number on a payroll. It's the offensive identity of this hockey team.
Without him on the ice, the Avs' top power play unit loses its trigger.
The 3 power play goals he's scored in this postseason are the kind of plays that decide series.
His last five games before this read like a video game. 5 goals, 5 assists, 10 points, all in five games. That kind of run doesn't grow on trees in May.
Nathan MacKinnon returned to start the third period and does not appear to be injured, which is certainly encouraging news for the team.
After concerns arose earlier in the game, seeing their star forward back on the ice is a major relief for Colorado as they continue to push for momentum.
|
YESTERDAY
MAY 11, 2026
| ||||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Martin Necas | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Ross Colton | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Nazem Kadri | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Parker Kelly | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Nathan MacKinnon | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Brock Nelson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Nico Sturm | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Danila Yurov | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jack Drury | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Brock Faber | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Quinn Hughes | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nicolas Roy | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Vladimir Tarasenko | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jack Ahcan | - | - | - | |
| Mackenzie Blackwood | - | - | - | |
| Zach Bogosian | - | - | - | |
| Matthew Boldy | - | - | - | |
| Brent Burns | - | - | - | |
| Marcus Foligno | - | - | - | |
| Nick Foligno | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||