Nathan MacKinnon unloads on Brandt Clarke in a fight, then explains what set him off

Nathan MacKinnon doesn't fight much, so when he does, people notice.

The Colorado Avalanche star challenged Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke in the third period of Wednesday's season opener at Ball Arena, and the building went wild.

With less than seven minutes left and Colorado up 6-4, the two tangled up and started trading whacks.

MacKinnon dropped the gloves, Clarke obliged, and the Avalanche center landed several clean rights before the Kings blueliner went down.

Both players got five-minute majors.

MacKinnon told TNT Sports afterward that Clarke said something he didn't appreciate, so he decided to settle it right there.

The Avalanche haven't enjoyed Clarke's antics over the past few seasons, and a few more incidents in this game pushed things over the edge.

It was MacKinnon's first fight in 642 days.

His last one came on Dec. 27, 2024, against Barrett Hayton of the Utah Mammoth.

He's far better known for his scoring, which makes a scrap like this stand out even more.

MacKinnon also scored twice, including a power-play goal on a 5-on-3, and the Avalanche went 4-for-5 with the man advantage on their way to an 8-4 win.

Artturi Lehkonen and Brock Nelson each added two goals as well.

Los Angeles actually looked sharper than it did against Colorado in the playoffs last spring, outshooting the Avalanche 31-29 under new coach Peter Laviolette, but the Kings still couldn't keep up on the scoreboard.

For Colorado, it was a loud way to start the 2026-27 season.

MacKinnon didn't need a fight to prove he drives this team, but the one he picked on opening night will keep fans in Denver talking for a good while, and Clarke and the Kings will remember it the next time these two teams meet.

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