Watch: Stars' Roope Hintz meets Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon in 1st NHL fight

Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (R) logged two assists in a win over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday in Dallas. File Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPIOct. 14 (UPI) -- A star-studded fight left Nathan MacKinnon's face bloodied and Roope Hintz's knuckles on ice during a Colorado Avalanche win over the Dallas Stars.

>The bloody battle occurred in the second period of the Avalanche's 3-2 triumph Tuesday in Dallas. HockeyFights.com credited Hintz with a victory in his first career NHL skirmish.

>Hintz, who did not speak with reporters after the game, missed the final 20 games of last season and the 2026 postseason after he collided with MacKinnon in March and tore his hamstring.

>"I knew right from the start he looked agitated with the whole thing," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters, when asked about Hintz. "Obviously, with what happened last year at the end of the year, and Roope missing the playoffs, I think that was a blow for him.

>"Good for him."

>The Avalanche led the Stars 2-1 about seven minutes into the second period when the 6-foot, 200-pound MacKinnon delivered a cross check to the back of the 6-foot-3, 217-pound Hintz. The NHL stars then met between the circles in front of the Avalanche net.

>They each dropped their gloves and sticks and grabbed each other's sweaters. Hintz got in a series of punches before the 2023-24 NHL MVP could respond. They then exchanged more blows to each other's helmets with their bare hands. Hintz eventually lost his balance and fell to the frozen floor. MacKinnon, who was leaking blood from his face, went to the locker room.

>Each player received five-minute penalties for fighting. Hintz put a bag of ice on his knuckles while inside the penalty box.

>"I think it's good to do it sometimes," MacKinnon said. "I might be done for the year, but I guess you never know. Getting punched is not that fun, but the guys seem to like it, so maybe I'll do it a couple more times."

>MacKinnon, who logged two assists in the win, received stitches for his damage. He had bandages and bruising on his nose and checks when speaking to reporters in the locker room.

>Hintz and fellow forward Tyler Seguin scored in the loss.

>"He's a competitive guy," Seguin said of MacKinnon. "His talent and technique in the fight was maybe a surprise, but good on him."

>MacKinnon was credited as the winner in two previous NHL fights, including one last month with Brandt Clarke of the Los Angeles Kings. He also beat Barrett Hayton of the Utah Mammoth in a 2024 bout.

>Avalanche forward Martin Necas scored twice in the second period of Tuesday's win. Forward Artturi Lehkonen also scored for the Avalanche, who played without All-Star defender Cale Makar.

>"It means a lot," Gulutzan said of the fight. "That's a lot of energy there against one of the best players in the league, who is tough in his own right. It always gives energy. It shows you care. It shows a little bit where we are as a group, to fight back and claw. I think that's a step for us.

>"We're in it for business here."

>Hintz logged two goals and two assists through his first six appearances this season. MacKinnon netted five goals and seven assists through six games.

>The Avalanche (4-2-0) sit in fourth place in the Western Conference's Central Division. The Stars (2-3-1) are in seventh place. The Avalanche will host the Stars again at 8:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday in Denver.