Cale Makar turned 21 on Wednesday and the Avalanche defenseman celebrated with a brief brawl inside the Pepsi Center.
Go ahead and put the bouncer on notice. Makar isn’t afraid to fight.
Early in the third period of Colorado’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Panthers, Avs goalie Phillip Grubauer covered a puck while Florida winger Dryden Hunt continued to poke away at it. Makar took exception and two-hand shoved Hunt across the crease. When Hunt returned the favor by knocking Makar to the ice, his Avalanche teammates responded quickly, with forward Nazem Kadri assessed a 5-minute penalty for fighting.