Karlsson Injury Threatens Final
William Karlsson's injury during Carolina loss endangers Vegas Golden Knights' Stanley Cup Final chances
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William Karlsson left the ice in the second period of Game 5, and the Vegas Golden Knights may never get him back. Associated Press reports that Karlsson was knocked into the boards by Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker at 8:16 of the second period, suffering a suspected left arm or shoulder injury. He did not return, and Carolina went on to win 4-2, taking a 3-2 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final.
Vegas now faces elimination. The Golden Knights must win Game 6 on Sunday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to keep their season alive. Coach John Tortorella was blunt after the loss: "When we lose Bill, it kind of screws things up," he said, per Associated Press. "He's not going to be with us, probably. We've got to find a way to fill that void, not with just one guy but as a team."
How Karlsson's Exit Turned the Game for Carolina
Vegas actually led 1-0 after Pavel Dorofeyev scored a power-play goal at 6:52 of the first period, per TSN. Jordan Staal tied it for Carolina before the period ended. Then Karlsson went into the boards in the second period. Just minutes later, Andrei Svechnikov scored a power-play goal at 11:58 to give Carolina a 2-1 lead. The Hurricanes never looked back.
Karlsson's absence hit the penalty kill hardest. Carolina's power play went 2-for-3 in Game 5, with both goals coming after he left the ice. The Washington Post noted that "the void left by Karlsson's departure was all too clear, especially on the penalty kill." Carolina's special teams had found their weakness.
Karlsson's Long Road Back Makes the Loss Hurt More
Karlsson's story this season has been one of unlikely resilience. He suffered a severe lower-body injury on November 8, 2025, in a loss to the Anaheim Ducks and missed nearly six months, per NHL.com. He only made his playoff debut on May 4, 2026, in the Second Round. Since returning, he had racked up 9 points in 14 playoff games.
His return had reshaped the entire Vegas lineup. With Karlsson back at center, superstar Mitch Marner was able to shift to the wing, creating a balanced attack that helped Vegas knock out Colorado in the Western Conference Final, per Associated Press. Losing him now forces Tortorella to rebuild his lines from scratch before a must-win game.
Carter Hart's Four-Goal Streak Deepens Vegas Concerns
Goaltender Carter Hart has now allowed exactly four goals in five straight games of the Stanley Cup Final, per Associated Press. Vegas has lost 32 of 39 games this season when allowing four or more goals, according to Houston Chronicle. Despite those numbers, Tortorella said after Game 5 that he had no concerns about Hart's play "at all," per Las Vegas Sun.
On the other side, Carolina captain Jordan Staal has scored in five straight games of the Final. That is the longest such streak since 1973, per NHL.com. Hurricanes forward Taylor Hall credited the team's fitness for their surge. "We feel like we're an in-shape team," Hall said, per Click2Houston. "We can go as long as this needs to go."
Vegas Faces Game 6 With Coaching Questions Looming Too
The injury crisis is not Vegas's only problem. Reports surfaced on June 10 that Tortorella's agreement with the team is strictly short-term and he expects to be "done" by the end of June, per MarkerZone. That timeline puts Tortorella in the strange position of coaching a must-win Stanley Cup Final game while his future with the franchise is already settled.
Vegas hired Tortorella in March 2026 after firing Stanley Cup-winning coach Bruce Cassidy. The move was meant to give the team a spark, per MarkerZone. Whether that spark is enough without Karlsson in Game 6 on Sunday is the question now hanging over Las Vegas. The Golden Knights' entire season comes down to one game at home.
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