Stanley Cup Final Thrills
Golden Knights Triumph 5-4 in Thrilling Stanley Cup Final Opener Against Hurricanes
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The 2026 Stanley Cup Final got off to a spectacular start on Monday night, with the Vegas Golden Knights beating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in a back-and-forth thriller at Lenovo Center in Raleigh. The game was decided with just under four minutes left, when Tomas Hertl scored the winner off a Colton Sissons backhand pass to give Vegas a 1-0 series lead, according to Associated Press.
The nine-goal game was a surprise. Both teams were known for stifling defense coming in — Carolina allowed just 1.62 goals per game through the first three rounds, per NHL.com. Instead, fans got a wild night full of lead changes, historic moments, and one of the best Cup Final openers in recent memory.
Ehlers Strikes 25 Seconds In, Then Does It Again
Nikolaj Ehlers wasted no time. The Hurricanes winger scored just 25 seconds into the game — the third-fastest goal to open a Stanley Cup Final in NHL history, according to Associated Press. Assisted by Jaccob Slavin and Jalen Chatfield, the shot caught Vegas off guard before most fans had settled into their seats.
Ehlers wasn't done. He scored again at 12:08 of the first period on a breakaway to make it 2-0. Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky had predicted before the game that Ehlers brings a "dynamic level of skating and skill" that creates scoring chances where none existed, per News & Observer. He proved it immediately.
Vegas Storms Back With Three Straight Goals
The Golden Knights refused to panic. Shea Theodore cut it to 2-1 late in the first. Then Ivan Barbashev tied it just 30 seconds into the second period. That made it the first time in Cup Final history that goals were scored within the first 30 seconds of each of the opening two periods, according to Associated Press.
William Karlsson then gave Vegas their first lead of the night at 3-2, striking at 4:35 of the second, per Daily Faceoff. It was Vegas' speed and relentless pressure that flipped the game. This was already their seventh comeback win of the 2026 postseason, according to Inside The Rink.
Staal Ends 17-Year Drought, Gostisbehere Forces Drama
Carolina captain Jordan Staal tied it at 3-3 in the second period — his first Cup Final goal since June 9, 2009. That is a gap of 6,202 days. Sportsnet reported that the drought broke the previous record held by his own brother, Eric Staal, for the longest stretch between goals in the championship series.
Brett Howden put Vegas back in front 4-3 just 81 seconds into the third, notching his NHL-leading 11th playoff goal, per The Hockey Beast. But Shayne Gostisbehere hammered a loose puck past Carter Hart to tie it again at 4-4 with 8:41 left in regulation, per Inside The Rink. Then, with just over three minutes left, Hart made a stunning glove save on Seth Jarvis to keep the score level — seconds before Hertl won it.
New Coach, Historic Franchise, and What Comes Next
Vegas head coach John Tortorella was only hired nine weeks ago, on March 29. He replaced Bruce Cassidy and quickly reshaped the team's mentality. "I don't care what building we play in," he said about Carolina's home-ice advantage, per The Hockey Beast. The Golden Knights are now in their third Final in just nine years as a franchise, chasing their second Cup title after 2023.
Carolina is back in the Final for the first time since 2006, when Rod Brind'Amour captained that championship team. He is now their head coach. Historically, the Game 1 winner goes on to lift the Cup 76.4% of the time, per Field Level Media. For Vegas, that is a significant edge heading into Game 2 on Thursday, June 4, at 8:00 PM EDT in Raleigh.
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