The Vegas Golden Knights will be missing a couple of experienced players as they work to turn the tide in their second-round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers.
Head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed after the morning skate that defenseman Brayden McNabb and forward Brandon Saad are both listed as day-to-day and will not be available for Game 3 of the series on Saturday night.
In more positive news, the team`s leading scorer from the regular season, Pavel Dorofeyev, is expected to return for Game 3. He has been out for the last three games with an unspecified injury.
McNabb`s injury occurred during overtime in Game 2 after he was pushed into the boards by Oilers forward Viktor Arvidsson. No penalty was assessed on the play, and the Golden Knights lost the game shortly afterward.
Although the injury`s specifics haven`t been disclosed, McNabb seemed to be favoring his left arm when he left the ice.
The 34-year-old defenseman played in all 82 regular-season games this season, scoring five goals and adding 15 assists. In eight playoff games, he has recorded three assists while averaging 21:14 minutes of ice time.
Forward Brandon Saad, 32, is also dealing with an undisclosed injury. He played 16:11 minutes in Game 2, contributing one hit and one blocked shot. He has tallied two assists in eight post-season appearances.
Dorofeyev topped the Golden Knights in goals during the regular season with 35 goals in 82 games. He sustained his undisclosed injury late in Vegas`s 3-2 overtime win against the Minnesota Wild in Game 5 of their first-round series.
Left-shot winger Victor Olofsson, who scored 15 goals this season, stepped into the lineup to replace Dorofeyev in Games 1 and 2 and also took his place on the power play unit.
Game 3 of the Golden Knights` second-round series against the Oilers is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. MT.
