McNabb ejected – Brayden McNabb was ejected early in Game 5 for interference on Ryan Poehling, sparking a power-play goal that swung momentum in the Ducks-Golden Knights matchup.
A Game 5 that was already shaping up to feel like a momentum test turned sharply in the first stretch after Brayden McNabb was ejected in a hit on Ryan Poehling.. With the Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks locked in the second-round battle and the series tied heading into the night. the incident immediately disrupted Vegas’s rhythm and forced the game into an urgent. high-stakes sequence.
Vegas and Anaheim had split the first two games of the series. which meant home-ice advantage flipped back to the Golden Knights.. But early in Game 5. the Pacific Division matchup changed tone when McNabb. a defenseman for Vegas. was penalized for interference in what was described as an ugly collision involving Poehling.
McNabb was handed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the incident.. The call came after the hit connected as play unfolded. with the contact landing when the puck was already out of McNabb’s immediate reach. according to the sequence described in the report.. The result was not only the severity of the discipline. but the immediate need for officials to bring the medical staff onto the ice.
Poehling needed help getting off the ice and was sent to the locker room. The physicality of the contact brought attention from the bench area and changed the tempo of the game, as the situation required a pause for treatment and created a clear advantage for the Ducks right afterward.
On the ensuing Ducks power play. Cutter Gauthier connected with rookie Beckett Sennecke for a goal that ended up being the immediate consequence of McNabb’s penalty.. The scoring play gave Sennecke another productive moment in the postseason. with the report noting he was finding the net repeatedly in recent games.
The impact of the ejection was already visible in real time: the penalty “cost the Golden Knights immediately. ” and with only five defensemen available for the remainder of the game. the risk of it getting worse lingered over Vegas.. In a postseason match. losing a key piece on the back end not only affects minutes and matchups. it can also force adjustments that compound quickly.
This wasn’t just a single swing in a vacuum. The Ducks entered Game 5 with growing confidence after winning Game 4 in Anaheim, leveling the best-of-seven series at two games apiece. Now, with McNabb out for the rest of this game, the Ducks had an opening to seize a commanding 3–2 series lead.
The report also pointed to goaltending as part of the broader picture.. Despite struggles from Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal. Anaheim has continued to stay close with a veteran Golden Knights group. suggesting that even when one area isn’t firing on all cylinders. the Ducks can still remain competitive when opportunities appear.
After the hit and the ensuing penalty, the Golden Knights were able to respond later in the first period by tying the game. That detail matters: it underscores that while the ejection created a critical moment, Vegas didn’t completely lose control of the matchup over the long stretch of that frame.
Even with that late first-period response, the situation kept its sharp edge. With McNabb removed and the Golden Knights short on defense, the question hanging over the arena was whether the penalty would end up costing them something more than the immediate power-play goal.
McNabb’s role also adds weight to how difficult the loss may feel for Vegas.. He is among the remaining “original Golden Misfits” on the roster. having spent nine of his 14 NHL seasons with the Golden Knights.. The report noted he has played 110 postseason games for the team and was part of the organization’s 2023 Stanley Cup championship group.
With his status altered for the remainder of Game 5. Vegas is now navigating the rest of this pivotal contest under constraints that can’t be fixed with effort alone.. The Ducks. meanwhile. have a chance to turn discipline into distance in the series—something that playoff hockey often turns on. especially in high-pressure elimination-stage atmospheres.
Golden Knights vs Ducks Brayden McNabb ejected Ryan Poehling hit Game 5 NHL playoffs Beckett Sennecke goal Cutter Gauthier power play