Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb took the ice Saturday night for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes, despite uncertainty about his availability following a hospital visit.
During the previous game, McNabb suffered a facial injury when struck by an 87-mph puck fired by Hurricanes forward Nik Ehlers, requiring him to be taken to a medical facility for treatment.
Playing with protective facial equipment attached to his helmet, McNabb contributed an assist on Mitch Marner’s second goal during a hat trick performance in the second period. The Golden Knights built a commanding 4-0 advantage after a goalless opening frame in Las Vegas. Carolina mounted a comeback with three goals in just 39 seconds during the third period as the contest continued with the series deadlocked at one game apiece.
The Golden Knights provided no official medical report regarding the 35-year-old defender prior to game time, though teammate Shea Theodore confirmed McNabb’s presence at Saturday’s team practice session.
Throughout the regular season, McNabb participated in 63 contests for Vegas, tallying five goals and seven assists while maintaining a plus/minus rating of +2.
