Avalanche HC Rips Major Penalty on Nathan MacKinnon

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar was less than pleased about the on-ice officials’ decision to give Nathan MacKinnon a major and a game misconduct penalty for goalie interference in the Avalanche’s 4-3 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers on March 10. In fact, it’s safe to say that he vehemently disagreed with the call, describing it as “not a penalty.”

With time dwindling down in the second period, MacKinnon, as he is prone to do, drove fiercely to the net. His attempt at scoring failed after he sent the puck wide of the goal, but that wasn’t the end of the tale. Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse was hot on his tail in an attempt to break up the scoring attempt, and in his desperation dove into MacKinnon.

This sent the Avalanche superstar and Hart Trophy candidate straight into Oilers goalie Connor Ingram. The force of the contact knocked him down to the ice. Blood poured from Ingram’s forehead, but he was able to skate off under his own power.

Nathan MacKinnon has received a five-minute major following a scary collision with Connor Ingram.

Tristan Jarry has entered the game for Ingram. pic.twitter.com/3QgcDbKu18
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 11, 2026

Seeing this, the officials doled out a major penalty for interference on the goaltender. It stood after video review.

“The goalie’s hurt, so it’s five [minutes]?” Bednar exclaimed in exasperation after the game. “I really don’t give a crap if their goalie’s hurt. That’s on their D-men, not on our guy.”

Bednar wasn’t done with his displeasure.

“There’s no chance that he hits the goalie if Nurse doesn’t run into him,” he said. “I don’t care if he’s injured or not injured, it’s a severe crash or not a severe crash. It’s not a penalty. If you put guys in your own goalie, it’s not a penalty.”

Coach Bednar was NOT happy with how the decision was made on Nathan MacKinnon's 5 and a game...

"The goalie's hurt, so it's 5. Again, I really don't give a crap if the goalie's hurt. That's on their d-man, not on our guy."

Coach Jared Bednar | Full postgame presser ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/zVDHDZxXfV
— DNVR Avalanche (@DNVR_Avalanche) March 11, 2026

Perhaps Bednar wouldn’t have been as frustrated had the Avalanche gone on to win what was an important game against one of the better teams in the Western Conference. With the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild breathing down Colorado’s neck, any sort of win to acquire some semblance of separation would’ve been welcome. Alas, that didn’t happen, and the Avalanche are left clutching their pearls after what they deemed a questionable call.

Avalanche Furious After Goalie Interference Call

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, right wing Valeri Nichushskin, center Brock Nelson, center Nathan MacKinno — Mar 6, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) and right wing Valeri Nichushkin (13) and center Brock Nelson (11) and center Nathan MacKinnon (29) celebrate the game tying goal scored by Nichushkin against the Dallas Stars during the third period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

MacKinnon’s teammates had his back after the whole situation.

“Nate’s got some of the best spatial awareness in the league,” Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, a top candidate for the Norris Trophy, said. “He’s not going to cut into the goalie like that. Explanation we got from the refs was that [Nurse] didn’t nudge him enough.”

“He’s diving across the top of the crease to try and get out of the way,” newly acquired forward Nazem Kadri said. “That’s part of the rule, for the player to at least make some sort of attempt. There was clear contact, and I have no idea how that was a five-minute [major].”

In the end, it was, and the Avalanche lost the game. As a result, the team now sits just five points ahead of the Stars and eight points ahead of the Wild in the race to win the Central Division.

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