If MacKinnon had continued attacking, that would be a different story entirely. But this was hockey—a classic example of a teammate defending a teammate. And in this case, the teammate in question has been one of the NHL’s top goal scorers over the past month. Nelson, a third-generation Olympian named to Team USA for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Games, has scored 12 goals since January 1. Only one player in the league has more goals—and no, it’s not Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews—it’s Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield, who has 13.
