Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon injured by nasty high stick

A scary scene as Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon gets a stick right under his visor from Anaheim Ducks’ defenceman Derek Grant. There was no penalty on the play.

Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon was on the receiving end of a nasty-looking high stick from Anaheim Ducks centre Derek Grant Friday.

Grant, in an apparent attempt to lift MacKinnon’s stick, caught the 2013 first-overall pick underneath the visor with the blade of his stick midway through the opening period during a Colorado power play.

MacKinnon immediately fell to the ice near the Anaheim net where he looked to be in considerable pain. He was clutching the area near his right eye as medical staff attended to him. There were some spots of blood visible on the ice where MacKinnon went down.

The play went unnoticed by officials as Grant was not penalized.

MacKinnon headed to the locker room with 7:06 remaining in the first period and the team later announced he would not return to the game with an eye injury.

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