A frightening incident took place during Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final when a player was struck by a puck in the face. Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb was hit by an 87 mph shot from Carolina’s Nikolaj Ehlers, resulting in his hospitalization.
McNabb covered his face and immediately left the ice midway through the first period, after being directly hit. The puck struck him squarely on the face, causing him to drop his stick and clutch his nose as he hurried off the ice.
Brayden McNabb takes a puck to the face during Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 4, 2026.
Reports from ESPN during the second period indicated that McNabb was taken to a hospital for further evaluation. Previously, he had an impressive three-assist game in the series opener. As one of the franchise’s original players, McNabb is in his third Stanley Cup Final with the team.
“Losing a guy like Nabber, who plays significant minutes, is difficult,” said team captain Mark Stone. “The team battled hard in his absence.”
Brayden McNabb reacts after being hit by a puck during the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes on June 4, 2026.
Defenseman Noah Hanifin expressed concern for his teammate, saying, “It’s tough to see something like that happen, especially to someone like Nabber who is so important to the team. We hope for the best for him.”
Head coach John Tortorella stated after the game that no further details on McNabb’s condition were available. Despite leading 2-0 in the third period, the Golden Knights lost the lead. Carolina’s Seth Jarvis scored late to tie the series before the teams head west for the next game.
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