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A terrifying scene briefly interrupted Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night when a player was shot directly in 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 right in the face just after midway through the first period. McNabb dropped his stick, went down to the ice and grabbed his nose as he immediately skated out and down the tunnel.
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Brayden McNabb of the Vegas Golden Knights takes a puck to the face during the first period of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 4, 2026. (Karl DeBlaker/AP Photo)
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 nine-year existence and are in the Finals for the third time.
“You lose a guy like Nabber who logs a lot of minutes, is a good teammate, plays so hard it’s tough,” captain Mark Stone said. “They fought as hard as they could.”
Brayden McNabb of the Vegas Golden Knights takes a puck to the face during the first period of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 4, 2026. (Karl DeBlaker/AP Photo)
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“Any time you see that happen to a teammate, especially a guy like Nabber, who’s a big part of this team, a leader, it’s tough,” fellow D-man Noah Hanifin said. “It’s hard to imagine that happening to any player on the ice. We just hope the best for him.”
Head coach John Tortorella said he did not have any updates after the game.
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb reacts after a puck hits his face during the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes in game two of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 4, 2026. (James Guillory/Image Images)
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The Golden Knights led 2-0 in the third period, but blew their lead quickly. After tying it with less than two minutes left, the Carolina Hurricanes’ Seth Jarvis found the back of the net to tie the series at one before both teams headed west.
