Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy shares perspective on play that injured Artturi Lehkonen in Boston, which Avalanche coach Bednar said was dirty

Two opposing perspectives of a consequential moment in Boston emerged as the Avalanche and Bruins prepared for a rematch.

In the first period of Colorado’s 5-1 loss Saturday night at TD Garden, Boston’s Charlie McAvoy dragged Artturi Lehkonen down to the ice during a skirmish in the Bruins’ crease as the play was whistled dead.

Lehkonen was reaching over the top of Boston goaltender Linus Ullmark, swiping at a potentially loose puck in front of the net. McAvoy corralled Lehkonen from behind and threw him to the ice, landing on top of him. Lehkonen exited the game and has been designated as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The top-line winger did not join the team for morning skate before the Avs hosted the Bruins Wednesday night.

When asked by The Denver Post on Sunday if he thought McAvoy’s play was dirty, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said, “Yes.”

Asked if he thought that because of the tackle itself or because it seemed to occur after the whistle, Bednar said, “Both.”

McAvoy shared his perspective on the moment Wednesday.

“(Lehkonen) was standing on top of our goalie, so I tried to pull him off,” he said. “That happens plenty of times a game. I’m certainly not trying to hurt anyone there. Just trying to protect our goalie, and that’s it.”

Ullmark had recently returned from a shoulder injury for the Bruins.

“But that’s not going through my mind there,” McAvoy said. “I’m just thinking, ‘He’s on top of our goalie and I would just like for him to not be there.’ That’s it. Trying to pull him off. Not trying to hurt anyone.”

The injury-ravaged Avs (13-9-1) are not in an ideal position to retaliate, but if anyone were to drop the gloves as a measure of sticking up for Lehkonen, it might be defenseman Andreas Englund. Normally that enforcer role would belong to Kurtis MacDermid, but he is among 10 Avalanche skaters injured.

Englund has been a frequent fighter in the AHL while playing for the Colorado Eagles, and he coincidentally dropped his gloves during Colorado’s loss in Boston. He went toe to toe with Nick Foligno, with both landing punches before Foligno brought Englund down to the ice.

The only injured player to return for the Avalanche on Wednesday is rookie Jean-Luc Foudy, who missed one game due to precautionary reasons. Alex Galchenyuk cleared waivers and was reassigned to the Eagles because Bednar didn’t like Galchenyuk’s performances during a four-game road trip, but fourth-line center Jayson Megna was claimed by the Anaheim Ducks.

That left the Avs short yet another forward. They called up Sampo Ranta, Ben Meyers and Cal Burke from the AHL, leaving Anton Blidh in Loveland. Burke is the fourth player to make his NHL debut for the Avalanche this season.

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