McNabb Ejected for Brutal Hit That Left Poehling Wobbly and Out for the Rest of Game 5

Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb got sent to the locker room early in Game 5 Tuesday night after throwing his shoulder hard into Ducks center Ryan Poehling, slamming the back of his head into the glass. Poehling went down hard, tried to stand, couldn't keep his balance, and had to be helped off the ice. One play. One misconduct. One injury that would end Poehling's night.

The Hit and What It Cost

Nearly midway through the first period, McNabb laid a massive check on Poehling that sent him into the boards. It wasn't just a hard hit, though. The way it happened, the back of Poehling's head connected with the glass. He crumpled to the ice, visibly shaken. When he tried to get up, you could see the wobble. The Ducks immediately knew something was wrong. Anaheim announced Poehling wouldn't return with an upper-body injury.

McNabb's punishment came swiftly: a five-minute major for interference and a game misconduct that sent him to the dressing room. Vegas would be playing down a defenseman for the rest of the night.

Sennecke Capitalizes on the Power Play

The Ducks made McNabb's ejection count. With 7:24 left in the period, rookie Beckett Sennecke buried a rebound goal on the power play. It was his fourth goal in as many games, and it gave Anaheim the early momentum in a series that was completely locked up at two games apiece heading into Game 5.

Poehling had been contributing too. He came into Tuesday night with four goals and an assist in 10 playoff games, making him a real part of Anaheim's offense. Losing him changes the complexion of this matchup.

The teams are tied 2-2 in their second-round series. This is the kind of moment that can swing a playoff battle. McNabb is gone. Poehling is hurt. And Vegas has to regroup fast.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.