06/10/2026 12:01:00
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06/09 23:59 CDT A wild Stanley Cup Final swings again as Hurricanes win 5-3 to
make series 2-2 with Golden Knights
A wild Stanley Cup Final swings again as Hurricanes win 5-3 to make series 2-2
with Golden Knights
By MARK ANDERSON
AP Sports Writer
LAS VEGAS (AP) --- The Carolina-Vegas series was largely expected to be a
Stanley Cup Final in which goals were at a premium and each shift felt like a
march up a well-defended hill.
Yeah, that isn't this.
Another two-goal lead went the way of the landline on Tuesday night, the
go-ahead shot came from a 37-year-old on his stomach on one of the great runs
in Cup final history, and the winning goalie made his first start in two months
and doesn't know if that will be his last one this postseason.
None of it makes sense and yet it all somehow does in this series that is now
even after four games --- probably aptly so --- because of Jordan Staal's
second goal at 6:32 of the third period that came while sprawled on the ice in
what became a 5-3 Hurricanes victory over for the Golden Knights.
"It's a wild ride, isn't it?" Staal said. "There's a lot of emotion, lots of
ups and downs."
Now the series heads back to Carolina for Game 5 on Thursday night. The
Hurricanes will potentially have two games on home ice to win their first Cup
in two decades. Coach Rod Brind'Amour captained that 2006 team, and though he's
not ready to look at the big picture, he recognizes this is a unique final.
"I know I need to (appreciate it) because this doesn't come across very often,"
Brind'Amour said. "But it is pretty stressful."
The same applies at the other end, where the 9-year-old Golden Knights chase
their second championship in four years. Their position isn't all that
different from when the day started --- two more wins and they're there --- but
now they need to win at least once more on the road.
"We need to flush it and get ready for our next game," Vegas coach John
Tortorella said. "I don't think we should be looking any farther than just the
next game."
Whichever team winds up losing can't point to a number of moments that could
have changed the outcome.
Each game until this one was decided by one goal. It appeared this one would as
well until Nikolaj Ehlers deposited an empty-net goal from 187 feet.
A two-goal lead has disappeared in all four games in what has been a remarkable
series in which momentum often changes at a moment's notice. Each team has led
by at least that many twice.
The 33 combined goals are tied for the third highest in a Cup final with the
Islanders-Flyers series in 1980.
Staal became the first player in 44 years to score at least one goal in each of
the first four games of the final and the ninth overall. Mike Bossy in 1982
with the New York Islanders against the Vancouver Canucks was the last player
to score in the first four games of a final.
Ehlers' goal was part of a three-point night for him, Jackson Blake had a goal
and an assist and Logan Stankoven scored a goal.
Brandon Bussi started in place of Frederik Andersen in goal and made 18 saves,
and including his work in relief in Game 2, Bussi has 36 saves on 40 shots.
Brind'Amour said that Andersen, who did not dress, needed the rest. Pyotr
Kochetkov was the backup goalie with Andersen serving as the emergency
goaltender.
"If you're going to give him a break, you need to give him a break,"
Brind'Amour said. "So to me, him dressing and going through all that does not
really give him a night off."
Mark Stone, William Karlsson and Brett Howden scored goals for the Golden
Knights, and Carter Hart made 23 saves. Karlsson also had an assist.
The Hurricanes came out blazing, taking a 3-1 lead in the first period. Vegas
nearly cut it to one, but Brayden McNabb's goal came right after the period
ended and didn't count.
Vegas scored twice in the second to tie the game, and the Golden Knights have
now outscored Carolina 9-1 in that period.
But the Golden Knights failed to add to that total, shifting home-ice advantage
back to the Hurricanes.
"We knew it was going to be a tight series," Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus
Andersson said. "We're playing a really good team and 2-2, best out of three
and fly out to Carolina (Wednesday) and take care of business in Game 5."
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
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