The Vegas Golden Knights’ run to the Stanley Cup Final ended with a 3-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 6 on Sunday night at T-Mobile Arena. But as players filtered out of the locker room, a recurring theme emerged: the toll of injuries that went far beyond what was publicly known.

Captain Mark Stone set the tone, saying, “Lots of guys battled through things. I’ve never seen anything like it. Guys never complained. They just put their gear on and went out there and tried to compete.” Defenseman Brayden McNabb echoed that sentiment: “You guys have no idea what some of these guys went through to be out there. It’s pretty special.”

While every playoff team deals with bumps and bruises, the Knights appeared to be hit harder than most. Shea Theodore noted, “A long year. A lot of guys playing through things in high-pressure situations. It’s incredible what guys played through. This room is not short of heart.” Noah Hanifin, who was clearly not at full strength, added, “Obviously, it hurts. It’s one of those feelings that will never go away.”

Still, the Knights offered no excuses. Carolina earned the victory with superior goaltending from Brandon Bussi, who took over in Game 3, and a stifling defensive system. Vegas struggled on special teams and couldn’t finish scoring chances in the final two games. “It happens. It’s hockey,” the sentiment went.

Now the Knights turn toward their 10th season in Las Vegas, with a lingering question about who will coach them. John Tortorella, who took over with eight games left in the regular season, expressed a desire to return. “I know we were on the wrong end of it, but I just feel it was such a strong run, I’m anxious to see what happens next year because it has another chance,” Tortorella said. “I got a front-row seat watching four rounds and I’m amazed at some of the things these players played through.”

The full extent of the Knights’ injuries may never be known. As one player put it, “More than we’ll ever know.”