Brock & Salk react to Makar’s ‘dirty’ hit on McCann, how Kraken handled it

The Seattle Kraken were able to win an overtime thriller to even the series with the Colorado Avalanche, but they’ll be without their top scorer for the time being.

Kraken win 3-2 on Eberle’s OT goal, even series with Avs

In the first period while on a penalty kill, top winger Jared McCann had a short-handed opportunity but missed high with the puck flying out of play. Top Colorado defenseman Cale Makar hit McCann high up against the boards a few seconds later, resulting not just in McCann leaving the game and not returning, but Makar being issued a two-minute minor penalty that was initially ruled a five-minute major for interference.

The Kraken made Makar and the Avalance pay immediately with Daniel Sprong scoring a goal while Makar served his penalty, and Jordan Eberle’s game-winner occured right over Makar as well.

But along with the Kraken assuring there will be a Game 6 this Friday in Seattle thanks to their win, the biggest story from the game was Makar’s hit on McCann, which was a big focus of Tuesday’s Brock and Salk on Seattle Sports.

“That’s a dirty hit,” Mike Salk said to open the show. ” … It’s interference, it’s also roughing, it’s also boarding, it’s also dirty, it’s also misconduct. All they gave him was the interference penalty. But my gosh, there were so many different ways you could go with it.”

Ultimately, Makar was suspended for one game for the hit, the NHL announced late Tuesday morning.

Brock Huard chimed in on the situation during the show’s third hour. (Note: Tuesday’s show aired before news of Makar’s suspension came out.)

Avs’ Makar suspended 1 game for hit that injured Kraken’s McCann

“He knew exactly what he was doing,” Huard said of Makar, later adding, “He hits him in the shoulder, he hits him in the sternum, he knocks him off his skates? Fine. But you go to his neck and head area and you drive it into the glass intentionally and you know what you’re doing? That’s no man’s land.”

Salk thought the Kraken handed the game “the right way” in that they didn’t go after Makar hard in the aftermath or try and do anything dirty.

“They didn’t take stupid penalties, they didn’t lose their head, they scored on the power play. They made it hurt. And then they continued to take whatever clean shots they could,” he said. ” … That’s still a dirty hit. I don’t care whether you have the track record or not. You took your hand to the guy’s head and smashed it into the glass while there was no earthly reason for him to be looking for it.”

Huard added, “(McCann) also slowed down, right? Like he’s not protecting himself in the moment. He knew where that puck went and so did Makar and he still took that kind of liberty and that kind of shot.”

What also bugged Salk about the situation is that it was “the second dirty hit of the night” by the Avalanche on one of the Kraken’s best players.

“They’d already gone to the box once for boarding – thankfully (Jordan) Eberle popped up without a problem – but they already took a hit to the back along the boards, which you’re not allowed to do,” Salk said.

Ultimately, Huard thinks the Avalance are “feeling it” against the Kraken heading into a pivotal Game 5 showdown in Colorado on Wednesday.

“They’re pressing, aren’t they? They’re feeling the weight of the Kraken and the Kraken are doing far more than I think most people anticipated or expected coming into the series,” he said.

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