A frightening incident briefly halted Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night when a player took a puck to the face, resulting in hospitalization. Brayden McNabb, defenseman for the Vegas Golden Knights, skated off the ice covering his face after being hit by an 87 mph puck.

The slap shot from Carolina’s Nikolaj Ehlers struck McNabb in the face during the first period. McNabb dropped his stick and held his nose as he immediately left the ice and headed down the tunnel.

Vegas Golden Knights’ Brayden McNabb takes a puck to the face during the first period of Game 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 4, 2026.

According to an ESPN broadcast in the second period, McNabb was taken to a local hospital.

McNabb had just achieved the first three-assist performance of his NHL career in Game 1. He is one of the three original Golden Knights players who have been with the franchise since its inception and are participating in their third final.

“You lose a guy like Nabber who logs heavy minutes, such a good teammate, plays the game so hard, it’s tough,” said captain Mark Stone. “They battled as hard as they could.”

Defenseman Noah Hanifin commented, “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. 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 there was no update on McNabb’s condition post-game.

Brayden McNabb reacts after taking a puck to the face during the Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Despite leading 2-0 in the third period, the Golden Knights lost their advantage. Carolina Hurricanes’ Seth Jarvis scored late to tie the series before both teams head west.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.