Live updates: Carolina Hurricanes head into Game 5 of Stanley Cup Final with series tied

The status of Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb moving forward in the Stanley Cup Final is unclear after he took a puck to the face in Game 2.

Coach John Tortorella had no update on McNabb on Friday other than to confirm the 35-year-old was traveling home with the team. Game 3 is Saturday in Las Vegas.

McNabb left Thursday night's game after taking an 87.3 mph slap shot from Nikolaj Ehlers square in the face just past the midway point of the first period. McNabb dropped his stick, went down to the ice and grabbed his nose as he skated immediately off and down the tunnel.

"It's a scary play," forward Brett Howden said. "You never want to see that. Just hope he's doing all right."

Vegas went the rest of the way with just five defensemen. McNabb's exit had a domino effect that led those guys to playing more minutes than usual, and in particular Jeremy Lauzon was on the ice for all four Carolina goals, with one shot banking in off him, another partially the result of him losing a one-on-one battle with William Carrier and Seth Jarvis' overtime winner going past him.

"You lose a guy like Nabber who logs heavy minutes, such a good teammate, plays the game so hard, it's tough," captain Mark Stone said. "They battled as hard as they could."

McNabb was coming off the first three-assist performance of his NHL career in Game 1. He is one of three original Golden Knights players who have been around for the franchise's entire nine-year existence and are in the final for a third time.

"He's a vital part of this team," said center William Karlsson, who also has been around since the beginning. "He's been here for a long time and has been vital every year. I think he is extremely good defensively, helps us out in PK situations and stuff like that. Of course, tough to not have him for the remainder of that game."

The Golden Knights had their optimum, healthy lineup back for the series opener when Lauzon returned from his puck-to-the-head injury that had sidelined him since the second round. That did not last long.

Either Ben Hutton, a left-handed shooter, or Kaedan Korczak, who was playing in place of Lauzon, figures to play in Game 3 on Saturday if McNabb is unavailable.

Long before the Stanley Cup Final, Bill Burniston had a vision.

"I don't know how I'm going to do it," he recalled telling his wife back in 2007. "But I'll work for two organizations -- USA Baseball and the Carolina Hurricanes. We'll figure it out."

Years later, he did just that.

Burniston, now the strength and conditioning coach for the Carolina Hurricanes, turned that goal into reality in 2015. But those who know him say that's no surprise.

He's the kind of person who sees something first, and then makes it happen.

Read more.

As the Hurricanes push through their Stanley Cup run, Bill Burniston and his staff are focused on one thing: consistency.

From despair to delirium, Canes fans experienced it all on Thursday night. In the end, it culminated with bliss and joy across the Triangle as the Hurricanes gutted out a 4-3 comeback win over Vegas in overtime.

Check out some of the fan reaction from the Lenovo Center and a Moore Square watch party.

Through 2 1/2 periods, it looked like all was lost, but then a third-period explosion by the Canes sent the fans into ecstasy.

Fans at a watch party in Raleigh's Moore Square were treated to a night of roller-coaster emotions that culminated in a frenzy of joy.

The time was coming, the Carolina Hurricanes kept insisting, when their top-line guys and the power play would make big plays.

Turns out, they were right.

Just in time, too, to keep the Hurricanes in their Stanley Cup Final series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Seth Jarvis blasted a one-timer past Carter Hart on the power play at the 3:56 mark of overtime - a breakthrough moment for Jarvis and a unit that had sputtered throughout the playoffs - to lift the Hurricanes past the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on Thursday night.

That ended a night that saw Carolina trail 2-0 entering the third period and looking overmatched, rally with three unanswered goals, then regroup after giving up a tying goal late to force OT.

Just as importantly, the Hurricanes went from staring at an 0-2 series deficit after losing twice at home to heading West in a tied series after an abrupt turn of fortune.

Carolina's power play entered the night just 7 of 58 (12.1%) after ranking fourth in the regular season at 24.9%. But that unit struck twice to change everything on Thursday night, first with captain Jordan Staal redirecting Shayne Gostisbehere's shot to beat Carter Hart from the top of the crease for a 3-2 lead with the man advantage.

Then came Jarvis' finish, only the fourth goal of the playoffs for the top-line forward who led the team with 32 regular-season goals.

When he buried the shot from the left circle, he skated toward the blue line and dropped to one knee to slide across the ice while the Hurricanes' bench spilled onto the ice in a stunned celebration.
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Saturday in Las Vegas.

- The Associated Press contributed.