The Vegas Golden Knights are facing a challenging situation as they prepare for Game 3 of their second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, missing key veterans Brayden McNabb and Brandon Saad, both listed as day-to-day. Head coach Bruce Cassidy announced their absence following the morning skate ahead of the pivotal match on Saturday night.
In a fortunate turn of events, the team’s leading scorer, Pavel Dorofeyev, is set to return after sitting out the last three games due to an undisclosed injury. His presence is particularly crucial as he led the Golden Knights during the regular season with an impressive 35 goals over 82 games. Dorofeyev suffered his injury in the first-round series against the Minnesota Wild but is now ready to contribute to his team’s efforts in the series against the Oilers.
Defenceman McNabb encountered his injury in overtime during Game 2, following a collision with Oilers forward Viktor Arvidsson, which resulted in no penalty being called. Although the specifics of his injury remain undisclosed, it was noticeable that McNabb was favoring his left arm while exiting the ice. The veteran defenceman, who participated in all 82 regular-season games, has recorded three assists in the playoffs so far while averaging over 21 minutes of ice time per game.
Saad is also sidelined with an injury that is currently undisclosed. In Game 2, he logged 16:11 of ice time, contributing one hit and a blocked shot while tallying two assists across the postseason.
In Dorofeyev’s absence, Victor Olofsson stepped in during the first two games of the series, showcasing his skills with 15 goals during the regular season and taking over Dorofeyev’s role on the power play.
As the Golden Knights aim to overcome these obstacles, the anticipated return of Dorofeyev brings a wave of hope and excitement among fans for their chances to rebound in this crucial series. The focus will be on rallying together as a team to fill the gaps left by their injured players and emerge stronger in the upcoming games.