RALEIGH, N.C. — There was no update on Brayden McNabb one day after taking a puck to the face, but the Vegas Golden Knights defenseman will be traveling back to Las Vegas with the team.
Coach John Tortorella had nothing further on McNabb, who left midway through the first period of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final after a puck hit the 35-year-old on the nose.
McNabb skated off the ice holding his glove over his face. He was taken to a local medical facility and did not return the rest of the game. The Knights played the remainder of the game with five defensemen.
“Anytime you see that happen to a teammate, especially to a guy like (McNabb) who is a huge part of this team, a leader, it’s tough,” defenseman Noah Hanifin said. “It’s hard to see that happen to any guy on the ice. We’re just hoping for the best for him.”
The Knights went on to lose 4-3 in overtime to the Carolina Hurricanes to tie the Stanley Cup Final at a game apiece.
Game 3 is at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.
“He’s a vital part of this team. He’s been that for a long time,” center William Karlsson said Friday. “He’s been vital for every year. Of course, tough to not have him for the remainder of that game.”
That there was no update on McNabb draws some concern, but the fact he’s going back is a good sign.
Whether McNabb will be ready to go for Saturday is another discussion. The Knights and Hurricanes get Friday off, with cross-country travel sprinkled in, with a pivotal Game 3.
McNabb would fit the bill of someone playing through something like this, especially if a face cage is in order.
The Original Misfit has appeared in 1,006 games — regular season and playoffs — in his NHL career. He appeared in 298 consecutive games, a Knights record, before that run ended in January due to an upper-body injury.
If McNabb can’t play, the expectation is Jeremy Lauzon would move to the top pairing with Shea Theodore, and Kaedan Korczak would draw back into the lineup.
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
