SUMMERLIN (KTNV) — In the moments after the Golden Knights' season ended, the players weren't interested in explaining what went wrong.
Instead, they talked about what everyone had gone through to get there.
"The stuff that guys battled through, I've never seen anything like it," captain Mark Stone said after Game 6. "Guys never complained. They just put their gear on, go out there and try to compete."
Two days later, the full picture became clearer.
General manager Kelly McCrimmon announced Wednesday that Stone had played through a torn adductor during the postseason. William Karlsson, who missed the deciding game of the Stanley Cup Final, underwent surgery Wednesday after suffering a broken wrist in Game 5 against Carolina.
Vegas Golden Knights
McCrimmon holding press conference after Tortorella ousted from coaching staff
McCrimmon also disclosed that defenseman Noah Hanifin had been playing with an upper-body injury that would have sidelined him six to eight weeks during the regular season. Brayden McNabb, meanwhile, battled three separate injuries during the playoffs.
For teammates, the news only reinforced what they had already witnessed.
"You guys have no idea what some of these guys went through," McNabb said. "The fact that they're out there, it's pretty special to be a part of."
Defenseman Shea Theodore echoed the sentiment.
"It's incredible what guys played through," Theodore said. "It's not short of heart in this room."
The injuries became another chapter in a season defined by adversity.
Vegas was four points out of a playoff spot in late March before rallying under John Tortorella and eventually reaching the franchise's third Stanley Cup Final.
"We battled through a lot, a lot of injuries," Theodore said. "I'm just proud of everyone for how hard they worked getting to this point."
The Golden Knights fell two wins short of another championship.
But as more details emerge, the run may be remembered not just for how it ended, but for what it demanded.
"Guys are proud to put this jersey on," Stone said. "Guys are proud to play here."
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Golden Knights eye a 3-1 edge as a wild Stanley Cup Final heads to Game 4
Golden Knights eye a 3-1 edge as a wild Stanley Cup Final heads to Game 4
In a Stanley Cup Final filled with more twists and turns than a roller coaster, it's difficult to imagine what more could be in store when the Carolina Hurricanes visit the Golden Knights for Game 4.
