NHL Star Nathan MacKinnon is proving once again why hockey players are not like the rest of us -- the Avalanche center was a bloodied mess after getting rocked in the face by a puck during a game ... but somehow, he was back on the ice just minutes later!!
The incredible act of toughness went down during the second period of Colorado's matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday ... when a puck was deflected right into his schnoz.
Nathan MacKinnon went straight down the tunnel after taking a puck to the face 😳 pic.twitter.com/R0F5dtcqVc
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 16, 2024
Blood immediately flowed from the Stanley Cup champ's face ... leaving a trail as he rushed into the tunnel, clearly rattled by the gnarly hit.
But, this is a hockey guy we're talking about ... so, naturally, he wouldn't let the injury keep him out of the contest for long.
In fact, he rejoined his teammates shortly after getting cleaned up ... with a noticeably larger visor on his helmet.
MacKinnon's heroic return and two assists in the game weren't enough to snag a win for the Avs ... as Colorado fell to Tampa Bay, 6-3.
Ice up, champ!!