Brayden McNabb talked about time and space Thursday morning, about limiting chances, about reading plays and being smart when pinching.
Then he said this: “If you can get in some hits and be hard on them, maybe you can make it tough for them.”
A few minutes into the Golden Knights-Colorado game Thursday night, McNabb lined things upon and drove Avalanche star center Nathan MacKinnon into the boards.
The best player on hockey’s best line skated off, needing a minute to catch his breath and check his limbs.
If it was about sending an early message, McNabb did his best to deliver one.