Halifax native Nathan MacKinnon got the worst of a rare heavyweight bout with Roope Hintz on Tuesday night, leaving the ice bloodied after a second-period fight in Dallas — but the Colorado star returned to set up two goals as the Avalanche edged the Stars 3-2.
Midway through the second period at American Airlines Center, MacKinnon and Hintz tangled in the Avalanche zone after a series of cross-checks, dropped the gloves and traded punches, as Daily Faceoff’s fight report described. Hintz landed three hard rights, including one square on MacKinnon’s nose, and the reigning Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner was covered in blood as he headed to the dressing room for stitches, missing more than seven minutes of the period.
Second fight in six games
It was MacKinnon’s second fight in six games this season — Colorado were still smarting after William Nylander torched them for five points earlier this week — and there is genuine history between the two centres. A tangle last March in Dallas left Hintz with a season-ending hamstring injury, and Tuesday’s bout carried that weight. After the game, MacKinnon admitted the Dallas forward had got him: his visor had cut him, he said, but Hintz also landed a couple of clean punches. “Big guy and he definitely got me with a couple good punches too,” MacKinnon said.
Despite the repairs, MacKinnon finished with two assists, giving him 12 points through six games. Martin Necas scored twice and Mackenzie Blackwood made 24 saves for Colorado, while Hintz and Tyler Seguin scored for Dallas. The Avalanche were shorthanded at the back, with Cale Makar away from the team for the birth of his twins and Zachary L’Heureux a late scratch with an upper-body injury.
Rematch on Wednesday in Denver
The win had a playoff feel despite the October date, and the Central Division rivals do not have long to wait for the rematch: the teams meet again on Wednesday night at Ball Arena in Denver, with puck drop scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Central on TNT. For a scoring champion who once went years without a fight, MacKinnon’s willingness to answer twice in six games says plenty about the temperature of this rivalry — and Canadians will be watching their Halifax star to see whether the gloves stay off the second time around.
It was a night of Canadian storylines across the NHL, with the Senators edging the Predators 3-2 in a shootout and the Canadiens trading defenceman Jayden Struble to Nashville. House of Hockey had the full breakdown of the Dallas scrap.
Related reading
Sources: Daily Faceoff · Gino Hard · House of Hockey
