Cup Final Thriller
Vegas Golden Knights Win Game 3 in Double Overtime, Marner Breaks Records in Stanley Cup Thriller
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The Vegas Golden Knights beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in double overtime on June 6 to take a 2-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final. Shea Theodore scored the winner 5:38 into the second overtime, but the night truly belonged to Mitch Marner, who set the fastest hat trick in Stanley Cup Final history — three goals in just 6 minutes and 10 seconds Vancouver Sun.
The game, played before 18,233 fans at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, is already being called an instant classic. It featured a four-goal Vegas lead, a stunning three-goal Carolina comeback in 39 seconds, a penalty shot, and two overtime periods before Theodore finally ended it LFPress.
Marner Shatters a 69-Year-Old Record in Second Period
Marner's hat trick unfolded entirely in the second period. His first goal came 16 seconds after Tomas Hertl opened the scoring on a power play. A centering pass deflected off Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker and into the net. Marner then scored on a backhand deke at 14:32, and finished the hat trick with a slap shot at 16:52 Sault This Week.
Those three goals in 6:10 broke the record held by Maurice "The Rocket" Richard, who scored a Final hat trick in 6:21 back in 1957 — a mark that had stood for 69 years Brantford Expositor. Marner also added an assist on the Hertl goal, giving him a four-point second period that matched a record set by Frank Foyston of the Seattle Metropolitans in 1919.
Carolina's 39-Second Miracle Nearly Steals the Game
Vegas led 4-0 heading into the third period. Then Carolina exploded. Jordan Martinook, Taylor Hall, and Jordan Staal scored three goals in just 39 seconds — from 7:03 to 7:42 on the game clock. It is the fastest three-goal sequence by one team in Stanley Cup Final history Woodstock Sentinel Review.
Andrei Svechnikov then tied it 4-4 at 18:18 with a 6-on-4 power-play goal after Carolina pulled their goalie. Carolina backup Brandon Bussi, who replaced starter Frederik Andersen to begin the third, stopped 18 of 19 shots — including a penalty shot attempt by Marner at 4:04 Chatham Daily News.
Theodore's Fluky Winner Ends a Wild Five-Period Night
The first overtime was a goaltending duel. Carter Hart held firm for Vegas, and Bussi continued to shine for Carolina. The game finally ended in the second overtime when Theodore fired a point shot that bounced off the end boards and deflected into the net off Bussi's own skate at the 5:38 mark Owen Sound Sun Times.
Theodore said Vegas "left our foot off the gas in the third" but praised the team's bounce-back. "I felt like we were more on our toes in the second overtime," he told the ABC broadcast. It was his second overtime goal of the 2026 playoffs Paris Star Online.
Marner's Record Night Sets Up a Conn Smythe Chase
Marner now has 28 points in the 2026 playoffs. That breaks the Vegas Golden Knights' single-postseason record of 26 points, set by Jack Eichel in 2023 County Market. Marner signed with Vegas on July 1, 2025, in a trade from Toronto, then signed an eight-year, $96 million extension. After years of playoff criticism in Toronto, the performance is being seen as a defining moment.
Sportsnet analyst Elliotte Friedman said Marner's night was "a superstar finally unburdened," adding that the record "isn't just a stat — it's a statement against everyone who said he couldn't perform in May and June." Marner himself stayed modest after the game, saying, "I can't do it by myself... all five guys have been on a great page." Game 4 is scheduled for June 9 in Las Vegas The Whig.
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