NEW YORK (AP) — Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb has been suspended for Game 6 of the team's second-round playoff series at Anaheim on Thursday night for his late hit that injured Ducks center Ryan Poehling.
The NHL's Department of Player Safety announced the suspension Wednesday, hours after holding a disciplinary hearing with him about the hit.
McNabb was given a 5-minute major penalty for interference and ejected 9 minutes into Game 5 on Tuesday night. While the hit was shoulder to shoulder, it came long after the puck was gone.
The back of Poehling's head hit the glass, and he was wobbly when he tried to stand back up. Teammates helped him off the ice, and the team ruled him out for the rest of the game because of an upper-body injury.
Vegas won in overtime to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Coach Joel Quenneville said Poehling is out. The Ducks have several options to replace him, whether it's another forward or a defenseman.
This is the first suspension for McNabb more than a decade into his career in the league.
-
'Go Knights Go': Las Vegas seniors join in to cheer on the Guys in Gold
When you think of cheering on our Guys in Gold, did you ever wonder what some of the oldest and wisest fans in our valley do for each game? Well, Channel 13 wanted to find out! The
Mitch Marner scores 2nd career postseason hat trick in Stanley Cup Final Game 3
Marner's three goals mark his second career postseason hat trick, both of which have come in the 2026 postseason and his first season with the Vegas Golden Knights.
VGK defenseman Brayden McNabb returns for Game 3 after taking puck to face
Until just before puck drop, it was unclear if McNabb would play, but he took the ice in a full face cage, to massive applause from the crowd at T-Mobile Arena.
Tortorella likes where the Golden Knights stand with the Stanley Cup Final tied
John Tortorella is confident about how the Vegas Golden Knights are playing in the Stanley Cup Final, even after falling in overtime in Game 2.