Avalanche forward Cody Mc- Leod outlasted well-known rink rat Ryan O’Reilly after practice Wednesday, working on conditioning during his five-game NHL suspension. McLeod, who was assessed the first suspension of his career for his boarding major that injured Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall last Thursday, took off his gear and spoke to The Denver Post after his teammates showered and had lunch.

“I can see where the NHL is coming from,” McLeod said in his first public comments about the incident. “They want to get rid of the injuries and I respect that, but I don’t necessarily agree with the length of time. But it’s out of my hands and we’ll just move on.”

McLeod was proactive in reaching out to Kronwall, who suffered a concussion after cutting back against the wall — and the grain — when McLeod was on the forecheck. McLeod visited Kronwall during the game at the Pepsi Center.

“I went and saw him after the first (period). I apologized and we talked it over. I just wanted to make sure he’s all right, and I’m glad he is. I don’t want to hurt anyone out there,” McLeod said.

Kronwall, a big hitter himself, accepted blame for making himself vulnerable to McLeod.

“It was good to hear that he was a bit at fault too,” McLeod said. “Like I said, I don’t want to hurt anyone out there. As a third- or fourth-line player, it’s my job to go out and finish my checks. It’s too bad it happened like that.”

He added: “I’m thinking he’s going behind the net and he cuts back. It is what it is. I have less than a half second to react. Like I said, I don’t want to hurt anybody out there.”

McLeod has served two of his five games. He also will miss Friday’s game against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes and games against the Winnipeg Jets (Sunday) and at the Dallas Stars (Nov. 1).