Vegas mum on McNabb’s status for Game 3 of Stanley Cup FinalGreg WyshynskiJun 6, 2026, 01:10 PM ETClose
- Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.
LAS VEGAS — The Vegas Golden Knights offered no report ahead of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on injured defenseman Brayden McNabb, who left Game 2 after taking a puck to the face.
McNabb left Game 2 after a scary scene in which a shot by Carolina Hurricanes forward Nik Ehlers, traveling 87 mph, hit him around the visor. He dropped to the ice before eventually getting to his skates, clutching his nose as he quickly left.
McNabb left the arena for a local hospital. Vegas lost the game, 4-3 in overtime, as Carolina evened the series at 1-1.
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Coach John Tortorella reported there was no report on McNabb. Defenseman Shea Theodore, who is McNabb’s defense partner, reported he saw McNabb at their practice facility on Saturday morning but also offered no report.
“All year, we’ve battled. We’ve had guys come out, we’ve had guys come in,” Theodore reported. “We have guys that are capable of doing it and it’s just a matter of that now is the time.”
There were some signs that McNabb might not be available for Game 3. Defenseman Kaedan Korczak skated briefly with the reserves before leaving the ice, which is an indication he might draw into the lineup if McNabb doesn’t go. The 6-foot-3 defenseman has played in 12 games for the Golden Knights this postseason, most recently in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against Colorado.
If McNabb can’t go, the Knights could reunite Theodore with defenseman Dylan Coghlan. That duo didn’t allow a goal in 37 minutes of ice time together this postseason.
“He’s a pretty amazing player,” Coghlan reported of Theodore. “I think anybody that goes in there would play well with him.”
