The Carolina Hurricanes won their first Stanley Cup championship in 20 years on Sunday night, using a suffocating defense in Game 6 to shut down the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 and winning three straight games of a thrilling final filled with momentum swings and spectacular offense. Brandon Bussi, who entrance late into Game 3 helped turn around the series, recorded his first career playoff shutout in stopping 22 shots. Jackson Blake backed him up with a goal and assist, and Taylor Hall scored just 3:47 into the game to set the tone. Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-net goal.
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Adding talent in the right places got the Carolina Hurricanes over the hump to win the Stanley Cup. Trading for Taylor Hall, pivoting to acquiring Logan Stankoven when Mikko Rantanen didn't work out, signing Nikolaj Ehlers and claiming Brandon Bussi on waivers turned out to be the difference. Even general manager Eric Tulsky using one of the first-round picks received for Rantanen to get K'Andre Miller shored up depth on the blue line to make this dominant playoff run possible. Carolina won 16 of 19 games including four of six against Vegas in the final.
Shea Theodore scored at 5:38 of double overtime, avoiding what could have been a potentially devastating loss for the Golden Knights after they blew a four-goal lead, and Vegas beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 on Saturday night to take a 2-1 series lead. Theodore’s goal, which went off goalie Brandon Bussi skate, came on a night that teammate Mitch Marner had the fastest hat trick in Cup Final history. The teams take two days off before meeting in Game 4 on Tuesday night in Las Vegas.
Tomas Hertl took a backhand pass from Colton Sissons and beat Frederik Andersen from the slot with 3:24 left, lifting the Vegas Golden Knights past the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in Tuesday night’s opener of the Stanley Cup Final. It marked Vegas’ seventh straight win of the playoffs. Game 2 of the series is Thursday in Raleigh. Shea Theodore, Ivan Barbashev, William Karlsson and Brett Howden also scored for Vegas. Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice for Carolina, while Jordan Staal and Shayne Gostisbehere also scored for the Hurricanes.
The Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes are facing off in a Stanley Cup Final between teams that have gotten this far with plenty of depth, speed and experience. Carolina is all about possessing and shooting the puck and suffocating opponents, while Vegas has made a high-scoring run to the final. The Hurricanes lost just once in 13 playoff games through the first three rounds. The Golden Knights have won 19 of 24 since a late-season coaching change from Bruce Cassidy to John Tortorella. Game 1 is Tuesday night in Raleigh.