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A terrifying scene briefly interrupted Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final Thursday night, as a player took a shot directly to the face, resulting in hospitalization.
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb skated off the ice, covering his face after being in the direct line of an 87 mph shot.
A slap shot from Carolina’s Nikolaj Ehlers hit McNabb square in the face just past the midway point of the first period. McNabb dropped his stick, went down to the ice and grabbed his nose as he skated immediately off and down the tunnel.
The ESPN broadcast reported early in the second period that McNabb had left the arena and gone to a local hospital.
McNabb was coming off the first three-assist performance of his NHL career in Game 1. He is one of three original Golden Knights players who have been around for the franchise’s entire nine-year existence and is in the final for a third time.
“You lose a guy like Nabber who logs heavy minutes, such a good teammate, plays the game so hard, it’s tough,” captain Mark Stone said. “They battled as hard as they could.”
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“Any time you see that happen to a teammate, especially to a guy like Nabber who is a huge part of this team, a leader, it’s tough,” fellow D-man 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.”
Head coach John Tortorella said he did not have an update after the game.
The Golden Knights were up 2-0 in the third period but squandered their lead quickly. After tying it with less than two minutes to go, Carolina Hurricanes’ Seth Jarvis found the back of the net to tie the series at one before both teams head west.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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