This is the kind of play that divides the hockey world right down the middle, folks. And after watching it multiple times, I can see both sides of this heated debate.
Nathan MacKinnon - the Colorado Avalanche superstar and one of the best players in the NHL - received a controversial five-minute major penalty following a collision with Utah Hockey Club goalie Connor Ingram that left the netminder injured and unable to continue.
According to video of the incident, MacKinnon was driving hard to the net when he made contact with Ingram, who was outside his crease challenging the play. The collision was violent, the injury was real, and the referees had a decision to make.
They went with the five-minute major, and Colorado was furious.
"He's going for the puck!" is the argument from the Avalanche faithful. "MacKinnon's eyes are on the loose puck, Ingram came out of his crease, and this is just a hockey play gone wrong."
The other side sees it differently: "Goalies are vulnerable when they're out of position. MacKinnon had time to avoid contact and chose not to. Five minutes is the right call."
Here's what I know: Losing Nathan MacKinnon for five minutes in a crucial game is massive. He's the engine that drives Colorado's offense, and taking him off the ice for that long is basically handing Utah a golden opportunity to seize control of the game.
But here's what I also know: Connor Ingram got hurt. Whether it was intentional or incidental, a player left the game injured, and the referees are going to protect goaltenders every single time.
