MacKinnon takes a puck from an Avs teammate to the face

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon skated off with a bloody nose after being struck by a puck hit by teammate Devon Toews late in the second period of Game 4 of their second-round NHL playoff series against the Minnesota Wild on Monday night.

Toews tried to send the ill-fated clearing attempt from the crease toward the corner, but it made a direct hit on MacKinnon's face instead. The league's leading goal scorer during the regular season collapsed to his knees in pain before an athletic trainer arrived to press a towel under his nose and help him skate off the ice.

Blood was all over, including streaming down the inside of MacKinnon's visor, and he went up the tunnel for further treatment shortly before the second intermission. MacKinnon returned in time for the third period and tacked on an empty-net goal in Colorado's 5-2 win.

“If he was going to be able to get out there, he was going to be out there," coach Jared Bednar said. “I just felt for him because I just went through that. It doesn’t feel very good.”

Bednar went to a hospital with facial fractures and a corneal abrasion in his eye last month, missing a two-game road trip after being hit with a puck on his right cheek that soared into the bench area during a game.

MacKinnon has six goals and six assists in eight playoff games this spring for the Avalanche, who lead the Wild 3-1 going into Game 5 on Wednesday.

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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl