One Win From Cup
Carolina Hurricanes defeat Golden Knights 4-2, now one win from Stanley Cup
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Key Points
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Svechnikov’s second goal came at a key moment: a short putaway at the post on the power play that pushed Carolina’s lead to 4-1 midway through the third period—helping the Hurricanes hold on after earlier struggles in the series.
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The Hockey News highlighted Brandon Bussi’s impact beyond the basic save total, reporting that he stopped 23 shots and “turned aside 2.29 goals above expected” in the win—his second career playoff win in his second career playoff start.
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Jordan Staal’s scoring run carried a rare Stanley Cup Final milestone: the article noted he became the first player to score in the first five games of a Stanley Cup Final since 1956, and it also listed other standout Vegas and Carolina contributors (including Nikolaj Ehlers’ three assists and Shayne Gostisbehere’s two).
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For Vegas, the Tribune added a major goaltending context point: Carter Hart entered as the first goaltender in Stanley Cup Final history to give up at least four goals in each of the first four games—and then did it again in Game 5, finishing with 20 saves.
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WCTI12 reported a franchise-defining historical angle for Bussi: it said he became the only goalie to have his first two postseason starts come in the Stanley Cup Finals—and to win both.
The Carolina Hurricanes are one win away from the Stanley Cup after beating the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 5 on Thursday night. Carolina scored four straight goals to flip a 1-0 deficit into a commanding 3-2 series lead, with Andrei Svechnikov scoring twice and Jordan Staal extending his historic scoring streak NHL.com.
Game 6 is set for Sunday, June 14 in Las Vegas at 8:00 PM ET. The Golden Knights must win on home ice to force a Game 7 back in Raleigh. Carolina is chasing its second Stanley Cup title, exactly 20 years after its first in 2006 The Hockey News.
Four Straight Goals Bury Vegas After Slow Start
Vegas took an early 1-0 lead on a Pavel Dorofeyev power-play goal in the first period. Then Carolina took over. Jordan Staal tied it with a redirection goal in the second. Andrei Svechnikov followed with a power-play goal to make it 2-1. Sebastian Aho, ending a personal scoring drought, finished a composed chance to push it to 3-1 NHL.com.
Svechnikov then put it away midway through the third — a short putaway at the post on the power play — to make it 4-1. Dorofeyev scored his second late to cut it to 4-2, but it was too little, too late. The Hurricanes outscored Vegas 4-1 in the second and third periods combined Sports Yahoo.
Staal Matches a Scoring Record From 1956
Jordan Staal scored in all five games of the Stanley Cup Final so far. That makes him the first player since Jean Béliveau in 1956 to score in each of the first five games of a Final NHL.com. Staal now has six goals in five games this series. He is one goal shy of the modern-day record for a single Final.
The 37-year-old captain was matter-of-fact about the run. "It's a good time to get hot," Staal said. "I want to contribute any way I can. The puck's been going in for me lately." Nikolaj Ehlers added three assists and Shayne Gostisbehere had two in Game 5 to round out Carolina's offense 247Sports.
Rookie Goalie Bussi Makes History in the Net
Brandon Bussi stopped 23 of 25 shots for a .920 save percentage. But the raw numbers undersell his performance. According to The Hockey News, he "turned aside 2.29 goals above expected" — a metric that shows he stopped many high-danger shots that would beat an average goalie. It was only his second career playoff start.
The history goes deeper. WCTI12 reported that Bussi is the only goaltender ever to have his first two postseason starts come in the Stanley Cup Final — and win both. Bussi spent most of the season in the AHL before being thrust into the spotlight after Frederik Andersen struggled. "It's cool to think back to that," Bussi said. "But we've got a lot to still do here" NHL.com.
Carter Hart's Historic Struggles Put Vegas in Crisis
On the other end of the ice, Vegas goaltender Carter Hart is in deep trouble. He finished Game 5 with 20 saves on 24 shots — a .833 save percentage. According to The Robesonian, Hart entered Game 5 as the first goaltender in Stanley Cup Final history to give up at least four goals in each of the first four games. He did it again in Game 5.
Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy now faces a tough call for Sunday's must-win Game 6. Hart remains the primary starter, but his record-setting struggles have raised real questions. Secondary market tickets for Game 6 in Las Vegas are reportedly topping $2,500, as the game shapes up to be one of the most-watched NHL contests in years Sports Yahoo.
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