Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb took a nasty puck to the face during Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday that caused him to leave the game prematurely.
In the first period of Game 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes, McNabb caught a puck up high while blocking a shot from Nikolaj Ehlers in the defensive zone. The puck clipped McNabb’s visor and drew blood, causing the defenseman to drop to the ice in pain. Thankfully, McNabb was able to skate off under his own power extremely quickly while holding his face as he went to the Golden Knights locker room to get looked at.
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Here’s how the injury played out in the first period of Game 2.
McNabb did not return to the ice for the start of the second period. ESPN later reported that McNabb left the building and was being taken to a local Carolina hospital for evaluation.
McNabb started Thursday night’s game on the Golden Knights’ top pair, so we’ll have to see how Vegas adjusts to the absence of a key defenseman.
How many points did Brayden McNabb have for the Golden Knights?
In 16 playoff games, McNabb had one goal and seven points. In the 2025-26 regular season, McNabb had five goals and 12 points in 63 games.
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Who is leading the Stanley Cup Final?
Headed into Game 2, the Golden Knights held a 1-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Final.
Who are the Conn Smythe trophy leaders in the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
Here’s a list of a handful of Conn Smythe hopefuls for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs:
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Mitch Marner, Vegas Golden Knights
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Brett Howden, Vegas Golden Knights
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Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes
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Taylor Hall, Carolina Hurricanes
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Brayden McNabb injury update: Latest after Golden Knight exits Game 2
