Wild's McCarron calls Avs' Manson 'dirty player' for butt-end to face - ESPN

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson returned from a five-game absence with a costly mistake.

The 12th-year veteran was playing for the first time in the second-round NHL playoff series against Minnesota after recovering from an upper-body injury. He was called for a double minor penalty for hitting Wild center Michael McCarron with the blunt end of his stick during a scrum midway through the first period.

Danila Yurov scored during the four-minute power play to put the Wild on the board first in Game 4 on Monday, with Manson watching from the box. The Avalanche recovered to win 5-2 and take a 3-1 lead in the series.

«A little undisciplined there, but it didn't look to me like it was vicious enough to make it a five-minute major,» Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. «I was just kind of hoping for the best, and Manse would be able to stay in the game. I think they probably made the right call.»

The first-period tussle with Manson was still on McCarron's mind afterward.

«He's a dirty player. He's always been,» McCarron said. «Not very well-respected.»

Manson was checked hard into the boards by McCarron, losing his balance and pulling McCarron down to the ice with him. As Manson tried to get loose from McCarron's bear hug, he sent a slight jab of his stick at the side of McCarron's face that caused him to recoil in apparent pain.

Manson threw his hands up in disbelief after the review for a major penalty was announced, and after a longer-than-usual evaluation, the call came for the double minor that went in the books for «butt-ending.»

«I blew him up, and he grabbed me and pulls me on top of him,» McCarron said. «He took his butt end and clearly butt-ended me in the face. I don't know how it's not a