Nathan MacKinnon at the center of bloody scene in Game 4

A scary moment unfolded late in the second period of Game 4 between the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild when Nathan MacKinnon was drilled directly in the face by a clearing attempt from his own teammate.

As defenseman Devon Toews attempted to move the puck away from danger in front of the Avalanche net, the puck caught MacKinnon point blank in the mouth in a brutal sequence.

The result was ugly.

MacKinnon immediately began leaking blood onto the ice and skated off in obvious pain while trainers rushed to help. The bleeding was so significant that arena staff needed to scrape blood off the ice surface before play could continue.

The Avalanche star headed straight to the dressing room for repairs as concern spread quickly among Colorado fans watching the scene unfold, including his father sitting in the stands.

Despite the frightening moment, MacKinnon was able to leave the ice under his own power. Still, it was another painful chapter in what has already become an extremely physical and emotional playoff series between Colorado and Minnesota.