Colorado Avalanche star forward Nathan MacKinnon will miss the next three games after sustaining a facial fracture and concussion, coach Jared Bednar said Friday.
The three-game stretch will span into the All-Star break. It is not immediately known if MacKinnon will be ready to compete in the All-Star Game on Feb. 5.
MacKinnon tentatively is expected to return for the Avalanche’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 10 in Denver.
MacKinnon, 26, was bloodied by a high hit on Wednesday from Boston Bruins forward Taylor Hall. The hit caused MacKinnon’s own stick to snap back into his face.
Hall initially received a five-minute high-sticking major for the hit, but the penalty was reduced to two minutes for interference after a video review.
“I didn’t love the hit,” Bednar said Wednesday. “Whether it’s really solid or just a glancing blow, it’s the type of hit the league is trying to get rid of.”
MacKinnon has 43 points (nine goals, 34 assists) in 31 games this season. He has averaged nearly a point per game during his career, amassing 603 points (219 goals, 384 assists) in 604 games.
MacKinnon was the Avalanche’s top overall pick of the 2013 NHL Draft.
–Field Level Media
