Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon is ultimately going to win the battle with PK Subban, and the victory is going to be sweet.
And Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon is going to win that battle. MacKinnon has been the best player on his team probably since he was a mite, so he’s accustomed to taking the brunt of the other team’s… aggression.
The battle in question is between MacKinnon and Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban. During last night’s game, Subban laid this suckerpunch to the back of MacKinnon’s head:
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Some people are calling it an elbow, but what difference does it make whether it’s a suckerpunch or sucker elbow to the back of his head? There is no situation from playground brawls to MMA that hitting the back of the head is considered honorable. Ditto a “forearm shiver” — it’s the back of the head thing.
In any case, MacKinnon was dismissive about the hit. He’s not a whiner or a diver. He’s going to take his lumps and pay you back where it counts — on the scoreboard. However, our fighting Irishman isn’t going to shy away from the rough stuff — he’s not as ginger as J.T. Compher, but he’s got a wicked temper just the same.
And it’s not like Subban is sorry. Indeed, when asked during a post practice presser if he would do it again, his response was the following:
"“Yeah, I’d do it again next game.”"
What’s more, Subban thinks the whole issue is being blown out of proportion:
"“If you’re in the playoffs, there’s things that are going to happen in games. It just depends on the media and what they make of it. It’s up to you guys.”"
My response to that is the same as it is every time a Preds fan thinks Avs fans are complaining about the physicality of the game: As long as you don’t mind Gabriel Landeskog or Nikita Zadorov doing that to, say, Filip Forsberg or Roman Josi, let’s call it playoff hockey.
That also goes for the hit to the head that Ryan Johansen inflicted on Tyson Barrie. By the way, that’s now two plays on Avs players that the Department of Player “Safety” should have looked at yet came out and publicly stated they would not. Hmm, can we draw an inference here?
Then again, as I alluded above, it’s not like MacKinnon can’t defend himself. Indeed, Landeskog knows his teammate well:
Going through tape & found this gem from Gabe Landeskog, on PK Subban's punch to the back of Nathan MacKinnon's head in Game 3: "That's their way of trying to get Nate off his game. But we all know what happens when you piss Nate off. He just gets better." #Avs
— Mike Chambers (@MikeChambers) April 17, 2018
Since his rookie year, Nathan MacKinnon has had a target on his back. And the more you hit him, the more lethal he gets. So, yeah, I’m confident MacK is going to win this battle.
Next: Avs Apply Lessons to Game 3
Oh, and P.K. Subban is a rubbish hockey player. He’s got such skill and talent, and instead he resorts to dirty plays. I have no respect for that.