Golden Knights welcome extra day of rest during intense Cup Final

LAS VEGAS -- Sunday, a day of rest. 

It's certainly that for the Vegas Golden Knights, anyway.

And it's understandable. The first three games of the Stanley Cup Final couldn't have been more chaotic, frenzied, insane, physical.

Whatever way you want to describe it, it's been a lot, so the Golden Knights will enjoy an extra day before heading into Game 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, SN, TVAS, CBC) with a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series.

"We've played a lot of hockey, three games basically in 5 1/2 days," Vegas coach John Tortorella said Sunday. "So, as much as you like to keep in a routine, as playing every other day, with some of the travel that was brought in as far as going out west and east, we're going to try to use the days.

"They won't come to the building today. To me, it's not physical. It's mental. Just to get them away from it. It's been a crazy three games, and we'll get back on the ice tomorrow."

That's another way to describe the past three games, the latest a 5-4 win in double overtime for the Golden Knights in Game 3 on Saturday after the Hurricanes tied it with four third-period goals, three in a span of 39 seconds, to force overtime.

Mentally, it can be draining. Each game has been decided by one goal, making this the first Cup Final since 2016, a six-game win for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the San Jose Sharks, and the fifth in the past 45 years to have each of the first three games decided by that margin. Two games have required overtime, one double overtime.

A lot of hockey and a lot of pressure-packed situations to boot, so time to reset and relax, albeit briefly.

What will the players do with this extra day? That's up to them. Tortorella makes sure of that.

"We trust them. I'll speak to my team, we trust them," he said. "We have two days here. We're not letting anybody on the ice today. We'll have a formal practice tomorrow because of the two days, but when the series -- although it's a bit spread out now -- the rest of the series with a couple of days here and there, we just try to let them figure out what they need to do.

"I think practicing at this time of year probably hurts you more than helps you. We'll move the blood tomorrow, but we kind of let them do their own thing."

For some, it'll be beneficial physically too. Brayden McNabb, who took a puck to the face in the first period of Game 2, came back to play in Game 3 with 35:47 of ice time while wearing a full cage. He also had two primary assists, the second leading to defense partner Shea Theodore's game-winning goal at 5:38 of the second overtime.

The schedule does ease a bit from here; there are three games in the next seven days, and that's if Game 6 (on June 14) is necessary. There has been plenty of excitement and drama, but the players providing it all will enjoy the respite.

"Yeah, it'll be a good rest probably for both teams," McNabb said after Game 3. "Take (Sunday) off, get to work the next day and get ready for Game 4."