Already down a starting defenseman, the Vegas Golden Knights found themselves without another mainstay on the back end early in Game 5 after Brayden McNabb was ejected for his hit on Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Poehling. Poehling left the game following the hit and did not return.
Following the game, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety issued a one-game suspension for the hit. This is McNabb’s first suspension in his 14-year career.
Advertisement
Ducks coach Joel Quenneville confirmed that Poehling won’t be available for Game 6.
“You never want to see anyone get hurt,” said defenseman Rasmus Andersson. “I hope Ryan is okay over there.
The Golden Knights empathized with McNabb, too. He’s one tough customer and is annually among the team leaders in hits, but he’s far from a dirty player.
“He’d like to be out there with us,” said forward Keegan Kolesar. “I’ve been in that position. You feel gutted, putting the team in that situation, in a 5-minute major, and then down a guy early… We got through that 5-minute major with only [allowing Anaheim] one goal, I think that’s a win.
Advertisement
“The year we won, I took a 5-minute major in Edmonton,” Kolesar continued. “I felt pretty gutted. Thankfully, we won, and I just went around and hugged everyone. You feel awful during those moments, and having good teammates is what picks you up from that.”
The Golden Knights never shy away from facing adversity, and they do so because of how close they are with each other. Coaches and players alike rave about the strength and resilience in the locker room, as well as the tight-knit bonds among the players.
“It’s just what we do as a team: we pick each other up,” said Kolesar. “I think we just wanted to rally around each other.”
As a result of McNabb’s ejection, Ben Hutton and Dylan Coghlan stepped into elevated roles in Game 5. Their importance will carry over into Game 6 as the Golden Knights look to play a potential series-clinching game without their long-time alternate captain.
Advertisement
“Losing Nabber, he’s one of the leaders, if not the leader, on the back end. It’s time for other players to step up,” said Rasmus Andersson following Game 5. “I thought Hutty and Cogs did an unbelievable job. They gave us really good minutes, and I thought they were as steady as it comes.
“That’s what we need in the playoffs,” finished Andersson. “We need people to step up when their opportunity is called.”
When asked, Keegan Kolesar said that, while the group continues to rally around each other, there is no emphasis on winning for McNabb.
“It’s not like he died, or anything,” he joked. “We wanted to rally around each other, not just him alone.”
Read the full article here
