The Result Carries Weight
Vegas Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella isn't tipping his hand on defenseman Brayden McNabb's status for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final Saturday night.
According to Jesse Granger of The Athletic, it's the first time this postseason the Golden Knights' head coach has not provided an update about a player being available or not prior to a game. That silence itself is notable; Tortorella has been unusually forthcoming until now.
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
The Moment That Swung It
McNabb was injured in Game 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes after taking a Nikolaj Ehlers slap shot to the face in the opening period. He did not return to the game and went to a local hospital for evaluation. Tortorella did not update his status after the game, a 4-3 Hurricanes overtime win, but said the injured defenseman was traveling back to Vegas with the team.
The 35-year-old blueliner finished Game 3 with seven shifts spread across 5:39 of ice time before being hurt. He recorded five goals and seven assists for 12 points in 63 regular-season games, adding one goal and seven points in 17 playoff games during Vegas' spring run.
The Race Tightens
The best-of-seven series sits even at one game apiece.