Hurricanes’ defense shuts out Golden Knights to…
LAS VEGAS — Carolina spent the first half of the Stanley Cup Final surviving, discovering methods to overcome deficits and play a high-scoring recreation that didn’t match the Hurricanes’ typical model.
But when it got here down to doing what it takes to win the Cup, the Hurricanes’ defense put its stamp on this collection, shutting down the Vegas Golden Knights and not letting up.
The Hurricanes held Vegas to 5 whole targets in Games 4 and 5 and used a suffocating defense in a 3-0 shutout in Sunday evening’s clinching Game 6 to win their first championship in 20 years.
“That’s a lot of years,” said Carolina middle Jordan Staal, who obtained the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. “It’s amazing. This is something I’ve been going after ever since we got the first one. You want to win it again and again and again. What a feeling, what a battle. The boys were grinding today, my goodness. So many individual efforts just to keep the puck out of our net. It was an amazing ride. I’m just so proud of these guys.”
The Carolina Hurricanes celebrates after a win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final collection against the Vegas Golden Knights, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. AP Photo/John Locher
Brandon Bussi, who entrance late into Game 3 helped flip around the collection for Carolina, recorded his first profession playoff shutout in stopping 22 pictures. Jackson Blake had a aim and help, and Taylor Hall scored just 3:47 into the sport to set the tone. Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-net aim.
“Your mind wanders the last couple of days and wonder what it may be like out here (on ice after winning) and it’s better than I could have expected,” Hall said. “My career has taken a lot of different turns, but to end up here with this group of guys and to do this is amazing.”
The Golden Knights, who made an unlikely run just to attain the ultimate, struggled badly to muster any variety of offense in Game 6 and went 18:37 between pictures on aim in the second and third durations. Playing in their third Cup last, this is the first time they’ve been shut out.
This clinching recreation was what many observers anticipated the collection to be like between the defensive-minded groups, but each aspect watched leads of two-plus targets disappear in the first three video games.
Now, the Cup belongs to the Hurricanes, led by coach Rod Brind’Amour, who also captained Carolina to its 2006 title.
This was the first recreation of the collection that Vegas goalie Carter Hart didn’t enable 4 targets in a recreation. He completed with 20 saves.
The Hurricanes started to assume control of the collection after falling behind by the rating of 4-0 in Game 3. They got here back drive time beyond regulation, and though the Canes misplaced, they outplayed the Golden Knights from there on out.
Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour celebrates holding the Stanley Cup after the win against the Vegas Golden Knights in recreation six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Reflecting the do-or-die scenario for the Golden Knights, they made a number of lineup adjustments, with Brett Howden changing the injured William Karlsson at second-line middle. Mitch Marner might have moved there, but remained at proper wing.
Original Golden Knight Reilly Smith made his Cup last debut at third-line proper wing, and Braeden Bowman made his playoff debut at fourth-line proper wing. Kaedan Korczak changed Dyland Coghlan on the third defensive pairing.
This title is a testomony to Carolina’s resilience as a franchise that stored coming close to profitable the Eastern Conference, but couldn’t fairly get through until now.
Brind’Amour made sure the Hurricanes stored getting back up after dropping in the convention last twice in the past three years and 3 times in their current eight-year playoff run. The expertise was clearly there, but there was always a stumbling block.
Not anymore.
Carolina Hurricanes left wing Nikolaj Ehlers (27) celebrates after scoring an empty-net aim during the third period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final collection against the Vegas Golden Knights, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. AP Photo/John Locher
After dispatching Montreal in 5 video games to make the ultimate, the Brind’Amour-led Hurricanes then confronted perennial energy Vegas and took care of business there, too. Now, he’ll get his identify on the Cup for the second time.
So will 37-year-old Staal, who also received the title in 2009 with Pittsburgh. He planted himself in entrance of Hart and dared the Golden Knights to knock him out of the way in which. Staal scored in each of the first 5 Cup last video games, the first time that has occurred.
The Hurricanes received off to a fast start with a aim just 25 seconds into Game 1, only to lose 5-4 on a late aim from Tomas Hertl. And the Golden Knights had been on the verge of taking full control as minutes ticked down in Game 2 while holding a 2-0 lead and showing as if they might take a two-game benefit back home.
Then, it all modified. Carolina confirmed a struggle that not only introduced the Hurricanes back into the collection by rallying to win 4-3 in time beyond regulation on Seth Jarvis’ one-timer, but would serve as their signature throughout the collection.
The Carolina Hurricanes celebrates after a win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final collection, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. AP Photo/Candice Ward
That was particularly true the next recreation when the Golden Knights took a 4-0 lead into the third period and the Canes appeared to have no solutions. Brind’Amour even appeared to wave the white flag by eradicating goalie Frederik Andersen and changing him with Bussi.
But the Hurricanes weren’t merely attempting to get to Game 4. They despatched a message, going on a outstanding rally to drive time beyond regulation. Though Carolina misplaced, it was inflection level, with Bussi backstopping a staff that was only growing stronger. Carolina then went on to win the next two video games and moved within a victory of the championship.
The Hurricanes received it performed against the Golden Knights staff that was on a heater after John Tortorella changed Bruce Cassidy with eight video games left in the common season. Vegas then went from third in the Pacific Division to first, knocked off Utah and Anaheim in six video games apiece in the playoffs and shockingly swept Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado to win the West.
Now, the Golden Knights have some notable questions to ask, including at the top of the listing whether or not to make Tortorella a full-time coach. He didn’t have any ensures of teaching in Vegas past this season, but getting to the Cup last is a good argument to run it back.
Golden Knights management will make the ultimate call on that, and they don’t always comply with league norms.
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