Top NHL draft prospect Connor McDavid injured in fight, out indefinitely for Erie Otters (VIDEO)

Connor McDavid had his Gordie Howe hat trick on Tuesday — and the consequences have the Erie Otters holding their breath a bit.

During the second period of the Missisauga Steelheads-Erie Otters game, the most ballyhooed pro hockey prospect since Sidney Crosby was in junior hockey a decade ago did not take kindly to a check along the boards from centre Bryson Cianfrone. The two threw off their gloves and fought and McDavid, on one of his swings, struck the top of the dasher board with his right hand.

Following the 4-0 win, the Otters announced that McDavid is out indefinitely:

That means McDavid will be out of action for Thursday's game between Team OHL and the Russian selects in the third installment of the Subway Super Series. The Otters initially stressed that they were taking precautions.

McDavid was also ejected from pulling off Cianfrone's helmet during the melee. By Ontario Hockey League rule 9.8, that act entails an automatic, mininum one-game suspension, although now it appears he would be unable to play in the team's next game on Friday because of the injury.

Prior to the fight, McDavid had one goal and one assist in the game, giving him an OHL-leading 51 points in 18 games. (He's been shut out only once.) The Otters won the game 4-0, but I doubt they were too preoccupied about helping goalie Daniel Dekoning get his first OHL shutout.

The OHL's golden goose getting injured in a fight is bound to ignite the debate over fighting's place in the game. That is opportunism writ large, of course. There was no outcry after McDavid's previous fight exactly one month ago against the Kitchener Rangers. He had two assists during that Oct. 11 Otters shootout win over  Kitchener.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.