Nathan MacKinnon wasn't pleased with the referees for missing a crucial tripping penalty during the Colorado Avalanche's Game 5 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday.

MacKinnon was hauled down by Kraken defenseman Will Borgen while the game was tied 1-1 in the second period, but no call was made. Incensed, MacKinnon slammed his stick against the glass and, as a result, was late getting to the bench for a change. J.T. Compher was then late to cover his man, allowing Kraken rookie Tye Kartye to score the go-ahead goal in his NHL debut.

"I get 5 feet on a guy, and he takes my feet out," MacKinnon said after Colorado's 3-2 defeat, per The Athletic's Peter Baugh. "I don't know what to do. It's not 1975. I feel like that's a trip."

Despite disagreeing with the call, MacKinnon admitted he has to remain more composed in such a situation.

"I've got to keep my cool there better," MacKinnon said. "I can't get upset. It's on me there."

It's easy to understand why frustration may be building for the defending Stanley Cup champions. The Avalanche entered Round 1 as heavy favorites against the NHL's newest franchise, but they now find themselves on the brink of elimination, trailing the series 3-2.

MacKinnon and Co. are being pushed to their limits, as the star center played a game-high 27:01 in the regulation defeat yet still produced a goal and an assist. But it's a clear sign that if the Avs are going down, head coach Jared Bednar will do so with his best players logging heavy minutes.

"Do we get to a point where (MacKinnon) runs out of gas? Maybe," Bednar said. "But we're facing elimination. We'll play him 30 if we have to."

Game 6 is set for Friday, when the Avalanche will get Cale Makar back from his one-game suspension.

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.