Jordan Staal had two goals including an iconic moment that old time hockey fans will recognize, The Hurricanes survived another rough second period, Brandon Bussi got his first playoff start and win, and Carolina will hop the plane back to Raleigh with the Stanley Cup Final tied at two.

Rod Brind’Amour had managed to keep his decision of starting goalie under wraps for the last two days, even joking with the media about it when he was asked. Players wouldn’t bite, and neither would Bussi as the only goalie who would speak to the media. However, when the Canes skated out to warm up not only was Brandon Bussi starting, but for the first time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs Pyotr Kochetkov dressed and was the backup. During the game, Brind’Amour explained to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan that playing Kochetkov as backup was about giving Andersen “a full amount of rest.”

Quickly the story of the game shifted from who was between the pipes to the puck once again getting into the net. For the second game this series, the Hurricanes quickly skated out to a 2-0 lead. The first goal came with only about a minute gone from the game, as Logan Stankoven was able to take a shot from Jalen Chatfield that bounced off the wall behind the goal and easily backhand the puck behind Carter Hart.

Carolina kept pushing, and it led to a quick penalty on Vegas. Shea Theodore was sent to the box for tripping Taylor Hall, and Carolina’s resurgent Power Play controlled the action during those two minutes. With the penalty winding down, Vegas made a poor clearing attempt that saw the puck get back in the hands of Alexander Nikishin. Nikishin quickly passed it back to Nikolaj Ehlers, who whipped it over to Hall. Hall then skated in front of Hart and with Hart paying too much attention to the puck, Hall whipped it over to Jackson Blake. Blake burried the shot in the open net and Carolina was again off to their 2-0 lead.

Just like the other games, though, the action wouldn’t calm down and despite making a couple of great stops, Vegas would eventually get one back thanks to Mark Stone and a bad change by the Canes. Stone did what several Golden Knights have done this series, sit at the blue line and wait for a chance to streak in and was able to out wait Bussi. After that, though, Bussi would stop the rest of the shots in the period, while the Canes would get another Power Play with a Vegas too many men penalty. This one was just Jordan Staal being big in front of Hart. Shayne Gostisbehere shot it on net and Staal was able to get the rebound from Hart and stuff it back in.

Carolina would have to kill a penalty at the end of the first, and Vegas would get a puck past Bussi at the end of the period—but the clock had clearly hit 0.0 before the puck even entered the paint, let alone clear the line. Carolina took a 3-1 lead to the locker room with a 14-6 lead on shots.

Unfortunately for Carolina their second period woes carried over even with a different goalie in net. The good news for the Hurricanes is that they ended the period tied at three instead of trailing like they had in others. The bad news was that once again Vegas just completely dominated play during the period. The Golden Knights set the tone early with the Mitch Marner line scoring again. This time, Marner was able to draw the Carolina defense deep behind Bussi, which left the rest of the team scrambling. That eventally led to William Karlsson being all alone as Stankoven had lost him, and Karlsson blasted the shot by Bussi. Carolina would get a Power Play that was easily their worst of the game, and then Vegas would dominate the Canes on a late power play that did everything but score. Like other times in this series, that Power Play gave Vegas momentum, and about 30 seconds after it finished Brett Howden shot it between K’Andre Miller’s legs and over Bussi’s shoulder.

The second period ended tied, and somehow Carolina ended with more shots than the Golden Knights, but much like Game 1 when the Canes hit the locker room, they found themselves tied with Las Vegas. But as much as Vegas has dominated the second period, the Hurricanes have dominated the third, and that script played out again with a goal that can only be described as iconic.

Vegas started the period trying to reverse the trend, dominating play, but the defense was able to block shots and Bussi made a few key saves. Then Carolina flipped the script and what can only be described as a grinding play, Seth Jarvis was able to get loose and get a breakaway. Hart made the initial stop, but the chaos threw Vegas all out of sorts as three players collapsed on Jarvis to try and recover the puck. Instead the puck rolled over to Ehlers, who flexed a pass over to Staal. At the same moment Staal was legally pushed down, but he perfectly timed swinging his stick as he was going down to direct the puck past Hart and give the Canes a 4-3 lead.

The goal evoked memories of Bobby Orr 56 years ago, a goal so iconic a statue of it sits in front of the home of the Boston Bruins.

From there, Vegas would push but Carolina’s defense held firm in perhaps their most complete effort of the Cup Final so far. The Golden Knights would pull Hart with a little under two minutes left, but Carolina held firm and then it was their turn for a good bounce off the boards. Nikolaj Ehlers would simply try to clear the puck, but it bounced off the wall, and as Vegas had collapsed to try and score, they were unable to get to the puck in time as it trickled into the empty net.

The horn would sound and Carolina claimed a 5-3 victory. Vegas actually outshot Carolina 9-5 in that period, but the Canes would win the period 2-0.

There’s no rest for either team as they’ll hop on a plane and head back to Raleigh. Game Five will be in Lenovo Center Thursday Night at 8 PM. Don’t expect any answers about who’ll be in goal for Carolina before then, and what is being called one of the best Stanley Cup Final series in history will go at least six games. No doubt the arena that Ray Ferraro called the loudest he’s been in will be dialed up even higher.

The 2026 NHL Draft is less than three weeks away, meaning the Pittsburgh Penguins front office and scouting staff are deep in preparation for it. 

The Penguins have the 22nd overall pick in the first round and depending on how the board shakes out, could have some really good players fall to them. 

One player they'll be very familiar with, who has a ton of skill, is Wyatt Cullen, the son of Matt Cullen. The latter won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017 and works for the team as a development coach.

Wyatt is projected to go in the first round after a tremendous 2025-26 campaign with the United States National Team Development Program. He finished the season with 16 goals and 45 points in 40 games as a winger. 

Cullen also played great at the U18 World Juniors, compiling three goals and nine points in five games. He had the best point per game average (1.80) of any player in the tournament. 

He has a lot of skill in his game and is very shifty. He's able to knife through players and find open space like it's nothing. One of my favorite plays from his season came during Team USA's game against Germany, when he received a pass and made a beautiful deke around a German skater before going backhand-to-forehand for a goal. His skating, shiftiness, stick-handling, and net-front play were all on display. 

Speaking of his skating, he's electric when he gets going and can blow past some players with his separation speed. He's also got some nice vision, especially on the power play. 

Cullen spoke really highly about his skill at the NHL Combine last week and almost pitched himself to teams who are looking to potentially draft him. 

"I think my skill is, kind of, top-four, five, three in the draft," Cullen said. "I have really high-end skill, and I think that's what separates me. I see the ice and have really high-IQ, and I feel like my IQ and skillset is what separates me from other guys."

While his offensive skill is outstanding, I still question whether he'll be able to pull off some of these moves against better players. I don't think he's going to get as much space when he plays for the University of Minnesota in the NCAA. He's gonna have to learn that "less is more" at times. 

'I Took So Much Away From Those Years': Wyatt Cullen Reflects On Growing Up With A Cup Team In PittsburghWyatt Cullen - son of former Pittsburgh Penguin and three-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Cullen - learned some valuable and applicable lessons from his time as a child in Pittsburgh.

As for his two-way game, it's definitely an area that he needs to improve. He's not as defensively responsible as some of the other forwards in this class, and I'd like to see him get back and help out a little bit more. 

Like every prospect, he had some rough plays during this past season, and the Penguins showed him some of them during their meeting with Cullen at the NHL Combine. It's something he really appreciated. 

"It went really well," Cullen said. "They showed some bad clips of you, but I think it's really good. They kind of helped me out a bit and gave me some good tips, so I think it went really well."

It's highly likely that Cullen will be picked in the top 15 of the 2026 NHL Draft, but if he falls a bit, I wouldn't be surprised if the Penguins looked to trade up a few spots to snag him. 

The first round of the 2026 NHL Draft will take place on June 26 at 7 p.m. ET. 

---

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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Staal scores twice and Hurricanes beat Golden Knights 5-3 to knot Stanley Cup Final at 2-2.

The Vegas Golden Knights dug themselves out of a hole in the second period Tuesday night, as they overcame a 3-1 deficit against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 4 in the Stanley Cup Final and will head into the third period deadlocked at 3-3.

Carolina looked much more like a team playing with a sense of urgency in need of a win in the first period than what Vegas should have looked like, a team playing with a 2-1 series lead and the intent to squeeze the life out of its opponent.

The Hurricanes switched goaltenders, going with Brandon Bussi in favor of Frederik Andersen, who was a healthy scratch after starting the 16 previous playoff games for Carolina. Pyotr Kochetkov was in as the backup.

Carolina outshot the Golden Knights in the first, 14-6, and controlled the tempo from the opening puck drop.

The Hurricanes got things going early with two quick goals inside the first four minutes of the opening period. First, it was Logan Stankoven at the 1:06 mark, and then it was Jackson Blake at the 3:28 mark.

Stone cut the Hurricanes' lead in half midway through the first thanks to a beauty of a stretch pass from Shea Theodore, who stitched a pass across three lines and through five different players. Stone then faked, deked and slithered to his right to beat Bussi to make it 2-1 Carolina.

those are some filthy moves from Stoney 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/DlVVtnNRed

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 10, 2026

The Hurricanes would take advantage of a power play, as captain Jordan Staal tapped home Shayne Gostisbehere rebound from the top to make it 3-1.

Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb buried a shot at the horn, but the puck crossed the goal line just after the clock hit 0.0, leaving Carolina with a 3-1 lead.

The Knights continued their second-period dominance in the series when Karlsson took a pass from fellow Swede Rasmus Andersson at the left circle and beat Bussi to make it a 3-2 game just 4:22 in.

Karly and Ras got that Swede connection 🤞 pic.twitter.com/DCJ6Rw4qep

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 10, 2026

Then, with a little less than three left in the period, it was Howden with a nifty goal from the left circle for his 14th of the playoffs to tie the game at 3-all.

VGK HISTORY FOR BRETT HOWDEN WITH HIS 14TH GOAL 🙌 pic.twitter.com/EoWzLLU02b

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 10, 2026

The Golden Knights have outscored teams 25-11 in the second period during the postseason, including an incredible 9-1 in the Cup Final.

VGK now have 9 goals on 40 shots (22.5%) in 2nd periods in the Stanley Cup Final.

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) June 10, 2026

PHOTO CAPTION

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) scores against Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) during the 1st period in game four of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena.

LOS ANGELES – The Kings have hired Peter Laviolette as their new head coach. More changes could be expected to bolster the coaching staff.

Peter Laviolette is a Stanley Cup-winning head coach with 24 seasons of NHL experience. Along with the title he won with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, Laviolette has two other Stanley Cup appearances with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010 and the Nashville Predators in 2017.

Now, the Kings are hoping Laviolette can bring playoff success to their organization. Los Angeles has been eliminated in the first round in the past five seasons.

So the biggest question with this hire is how Laviolette will benefit the Kings' playing style? The answer to that it is a great fit for the Los Angeles organization.

During his interim tenure as head coach, DJ Smith enhanced the defensive success through activating the backend along with forechecking and physicality. This defensive scheme helped the Kings go from outside the playoff picture to secure the final wild card spot.

Throughout Laviolette’s career, he has been known as a coach with a team that pushes the pace and presents a heavy forecheck. Every team Laviolette has coached has played an aggressive forecheck, which has led to massive improvements in their puck possession.

The season before the Flyers hired Laviolette, Philadelphia had a 47.65% CF in 2009, but that skyrocketed to 50.93% in 2010. The Predators had a 48.44% CF in 2014, but with Laviolette, that improved to 52.82% in 2015.

Teams that struggled with forechecking found success in the very next season with Laviolette as their head coach. Now, Laviolette gets to coach a Kings team that is already fond of forechecking.

Los Angeles had a 52.22% CF, which ranked in the top 10 in the NHL last season. A forecheck-heavy coach should find success with a team that has already excelled in puck possession.

The Kings dropped from 105 points to 90 points in the Pacific, while young teams like the Ducks and Sharks surged in the standings. With the right offseason moves, an upbeat tempo, active defensemen, and aggressive forecheck could keep the Kings competitive against their rivals.

While the Laviolette hire activates the defensive core in place, how else will the offense improve? That’s where the Kings will have to make another decision for the coaching staff.

RADIO REPLAY: Talking Kings Hiring Laviolette, His Assistants, and Potential Upcoming Roster Moves https://t.co/jg4CiWe11j#LAKings#GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/DCWQtVAvM5

— MayorsManor.com Staff (@MayorsManor) June 8, 2026

Newell Brown was hired back in the 2025 season to help the power play improve. However, the Kings have experienced an even larger decline in the power play since then.

In 2024, the Kings had a 22.6% power play, which ranked 11th in the league. The next season, Brown gets hired, and the power play drops to 17.9% and 27th overall.

As underwhelming as the power play was in 2025, it was even worse this past season. The Kings had a 17% power-play percentage, which ranked 28th overall.

Brown led the Kings' power play to a bottom-six percentage in both of his seasons as an assistant coach. Brown's power-play strategy has been criticized by fans and reporters for the struggle.

In the past two seasons, the Kings' power play has been holding the puck to set up the perfect shot. Nonetheless, one good look at a power play isn’t as effective as four difficult shots.

A north-to-south style creates more shots on net, which creates more chances for goals. This style of hockey also aligns with the new head coach, who likes to forecheck and play fast.

Therefore, an east-to-west offense that has struggled will not align with Laviolette’s vision for the team. Making it apparent that Brown might be the next coach to be replaced for the Kings.

It is not official that the Kings are moving on from assistant coach Brown, but it is heavily speculated that this could be the move, with new head coach offseason hires typically comes with new staff preferences. The head coach hire may just be the beginning of the coaching overhaul for Los Angeles.

The answer to the most guarded secret in the NHL was given when Brandon Bussi skated onto the ice for warmups in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

In a surprise, Frederik Andersen didn't dress as Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said the team's goalie coach said Andersen needed a break.

Bussi played well enough in the series-tying 5-3 victory on Tuesday, June 9, that he could get the call again when the series resumes Thursday night in Raleigh, North Carolina.

He stopped 18 of 21 shots and now has stopped 36 of 40 since Brind'Amour inserted him at the start of the third period of Game 3. Andersen, who had started every game, had given up four goals in the second period in Saturday's game.

Bussi had to stop a Mitch Marner penalty shot in Game 3 and that save gave the Hurricanes a chance to rally, though they eventually fell 5-4 in double overtime.

Brind'Amour didn't reveal his starter either after Monday's practice or in Tuesday's pregame news conference. There was no morning skate on Tuesday.

Bussi was tested quickly again in Game 4. He stopped a Mark Stone short-handed breakaway to preserve a 1-0 lead and the Hurricanes made it 2-0 shortly after.

Stone scored in the first period and Vegas tied the game 3-3 in the second period. But Bussi stopped nine shots in the third period to make Jordan Staal's go-ahead goal stand up.

"He was really solid all night," Brind'Amour said.

The start was Bussi's first since mid-April and his first career start in the playoffs. Did he think he played well enough to get the call in Game 5?

"Talk to Rod," he told ABC.

How Brandon Bussi fared in third period

The Golden Knights kept him scrambling but couldn't get a puck past him. He stopped 18 of 21 shots in the game and gave himself a chance to get the call again in Game 5 on Thursday, June 11.

How Brandon Bussi fared in second period

The Golden Knights have outscored the Hurricanes in 9-1 in the second period and Brandon Bussi is part of that now. He gave up goals to William Karlsson and Brett Howden as Vegas tied the game. He wasn't quite set on the first goal. The second goal was a great play by Howden, who set up a screen by shooting through a defender's leg. Bussi has stopped nine of 12 shots, a big difference from his relief appearance in Game 3.

How Brandon Bussi fared in first period

He was tested early on a short-handed breakaway by Mark Stone, but came up big. Stone later scored on a breakaway as he faked a shot, stickhandled and tucked the puck past Bussi's outstretched pad. The Golden Knights' next goal didn't count because time expired. But all in all, a good period for Bussi, who made five saves and has a 3-1 lead.

Why isn't Frederik Andersen playing?

Brind'Amour said Brandon Bussi got the start because he played great when he entered Game 3. Why isn't Frederik Andersen dressed? "Let him rest," the coach told ABC.

Bussi catches with different hand than Andersen

Bussi catches right-handed while Andersen catches left.

"We don't care who's playing, what hand, what feet, we're just going to play," Golden Knights coach John Tortorella told reporters.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricanes' Brandon Bussi starts Game 4, gets win vs Golden Knights

The 2026 NHL Playoffs have marked Brett Howden’s coming-out party. 

With the Vegas Golden Knights two games away from winning the Stanley Cup, Howden currently leads all players in the playoffs with 13 goals. 

There’s no doubt that Howden has been an integral piece for the Golden Knights through their playoff run thus far, but what many people may not know is how he got to Vegas in the first place. 

Howden was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft, but he was traded to the New York Rangers as part of the deal that sent Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller to Tampa Bay in 2018.

He ultimately spent three seasons with the Rangers, playing in a total of 178 games and recording 16 goals, 33 assists, and 49 points.

Shortly after being hired as the Rangers’ president and general manager in 2021, Chris Drury traded Howden to the Golden Knights in exchange for defenseman Nick DeSimone and a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.

The Rangers eventually used that 2022 fourth-round pick to select Noah Laba.

Over his first three seasons in Vegas, Howden failed to record over 20 points, but he had a career year during the 2024-25 campaign, posting 23 goals, 17 assists, and 40 points.  

Now, playing on a line alongside Mitch Marner and William Karlsson, the 28-year-old forward has found his offensive groove and could be on his way to winning both the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy.

“I think he's in the moment,” Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella said of Howden. I just think he likes the situation he's in. I think the line's been good. That line, once we put it together, just connected. I don't think he's afraid of a damn thing, as far as playoffs, what comes with it, the flows of it. I just think he feels that good about himself.”

From a Buffalo Sabres perspective, the Alexandar Georgiev experiment was supposed to be a low-risk reset on a once-ascending NHL goaltender. Instead, it became another short stop in a rapidly unraveling career arc that has now stretched across three leagues in under two seasons.

Georgiev has officially terminated his contract with KHL club Spartak Moscow, according to league confirmation, with his representation indicating the veteran netminder intends to pursue an NHL return next season. For the Sabres, it marks the end of a brief and underwhelming stint that never found traction at either level of the organization.

A Low-Cost Gamble That Never Stabilized

After a difficult run with the San Jose Sharks, Georgiev signed a one-year, $825,000 contract with the Buffalo Sabres in September, a move designed to stabilize a volatile goaltending depth chart without significant financial risk. The hope inside the organization was simple: recreate the version of Georgiev who once led the NHL in wins and briefly looked like a long-term starter with Colorado.

That version never materialized.

Instead of pushing for NHL minutes, Georgiev struggled to separate himself in camp and early-season evaluation, eventually landing with the Rochester Americans in the AHL. The results there did little to change the trajectory. In limited action, he went 0-2 with a 3.57 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage—numbers that mirrored the inconsistency that had already defined his recent NHL stretch.

By the time Buffalo made the decision to move on, the organization was no longer evaluating upside. It was simply trying to reset its depth chart.

A Career Sliding Between Peaks and Freefall

Not long ago, Georgiev looked like a goaltender on the rise. During his time with Colorado, he earned full-time starter responsibility and reached his peak in the 2023-24 season by leading the NHL with 38 wins, while also tying for the league lead in victories the year prior.

But the decline came quickly and decisively.

Across his final stretch in the NHL with Colorado and San Jose, his numbers dropped sharply, and his game lost the consistency that once made him a volume-win starter. By the time he reached Buffalo, he was no longer being acquired as a long-term answer—he was a reclamation project on a one-year flyer.

The KHL Reset—and Another NHL Try

After his brief stint in Rochester, Georgiev and the Sabres parted ways, and he signed overseas with Spartak in the KHL. There, he stabilized his performance, posting a 2.37 GAA and a .918 save percentage over 24 appearances. The numbers suggested competence, but not enough to fully restore NHL starter credibility.

Now, with his KHL contract terminated, Georgiev is once again testing the NHL market. But the league he’s returning to looks different than the one he once briefly dominated in wins. Most teams are already set in net, and the remaining openings project heavily toward backup or organizational depth roles.

For Buffalo, the move is already in the past. For Georgiev, it’s another reset in a career defined increasingly by them.

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It was a critical season for Detroit Red Wings prospect goaltender Sebastian Cossa, who was entering his final year of being waivers exempt with restricted free agency looming.

However, the top question in the minds of Red Wings fans is how his career will ultimately pan out, and will it be in Detroit? Right now, that's still up in the air. 

Cossa, who has been linked in recent days to the Edmonton Oilers, is now being linked to another Western Conference club by a noted NHL Insider, who also happens to be a former goaltender himself. 

Kevin Weekes, who has often broken news of NHL trades, indicated on Tuesday that the Utah Mammoth are a club that could show interest in Cossa. 

**Keep an eye 👁️ **
Per sources, some nuggets for you fans ;
I’m told G Cossa could be on the move with @utahmammoth among the interested clubs. F Berard also could be on move from @NYRangers . G Skinner among options for @Senators . #HockeyXpic.twitter.com/TilGNbAprm

— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) June 9, 2026

While workhorse Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka won 38 regular season games in 64 appearances this season, he faltered in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, going 2-4 with a 3.13 goals-against average and a .885 save percentage. 

Backup Vitek Vanecek didn't have a strong regular season, going 5-13-3 with a .884 save percentage. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Cossa, whom the Red Wings selected in the first round (15th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, went 26-8-4 with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage for the Griffins this season.

Is Sebastian Cossa A Long-Term Option For The Red Wings? - Community PostWhile the Detroit Red Wings were understandably excited about the potential of goaltender Sebastian Cossa, whom they selected 15th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, there still remains the fact he's appeared in only one NHL game. 

However, he was outplayed down the stretch by Michal Postava, whom the Red Wings signed out of Czechia last season; Cossa was also on the bench during the Calder Cup Playoffs, which ultimately resulted in a loss in the Central Division Finals to the Chicago Wolves. 

Cossa also still has only a single NHL appearance under his belt, which came in relief of now-former Red Wings goaltender Ville Husso in December 2024 against the Buffalo Sabres, and he stopped 12 of 14 shots en route to a 6-5 S/O victory. 

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Hurricanes steal Game 4 vs. Golden Knights 5-3 to tie Stanley Cup Final originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The 2026 Stanley Cup Final will go to at least Game 6.

The Carolina Hurricanes held on to beat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3 Tuesday night in Game 4 to edge the final series 2-2.

Carolina started hot with a 3-1 goal advantage after the opening 20 minutes. Two of those goals came within the opening four minutes that set the tone for the rest of the way.

But this has been a series of the comeback, so it wasn’t surprising that two Vegas goals knotted up the score in the second period. William Karlsson scored the first of the period before Brett Howden drilled one from a deep angle for the equalizer late on.

Brett Howden finds twine once again! 😳

Bar down to tie up Game 4! 😱 pic.twitter.com/fSt1ilrNie

— ESPN (@espn) June 10, 2026

Vegas couldn’t turn it around fully, however.

In the third period, Vegas made the most costly mistake of the game that got punished. A poor clearance in their own defensive area led to some opportune shots for Carolina.

Eventually it was Jordan Staal, a goalscorer from the first period, who capitalized with an angled diving effort. It could go on to be a memorable frame if Carolina gets it over the line for just the second time in franchise history (2005-06).

JORDAN STAAL DIVING GOAL FOR THE LEAD 😱

Continues to step up for Carolina on the biggest of stages 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9L04r3ZDH5

— ESPN (@espn) June 10, 2026

The goal would prove to be the winner as Vegas had to chase the action the rest of the way. Eventually, Nikolaj Ehlers added Carolina’s fifth in the closing minutes as Vegas had an empty net.

It’s been an incredibly even series so far with little margin for error on either side.

Both teams have exchanged wins since Vegas stole Game 1 on the road 5-4. Carolina responded with a 4-3 Game 2 win before the Golden Knights once again claimed a 5-4 final scoreline in Game 3. Game 4 was about to follow the one-score difference before Ehlers’ open-net finish.

If the victor trends are anything to go by, another tight game is in store for Thursday with Vegas in line for the win pattern. But Carolina is back on home ice and will be looking to defend it as the victor will be just one win away from hoisting the main prize.

Hurricanes steal Game 4 vs. Golden Knights 5-3 to tie Stanley Cup Final originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The 2026 Stanley Cup Final will go to at least Game 6.

The Carolina Hurricanes held on to beat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3 Tuesday night in Game 4 to edge the final series 2-2.

Carolina started hot with a 3-1 goal advantage after the opening 20 minutes. Two of those goals came within the opening four minutes that set the tone for the rest of the way.

But this has been a series of the comeback, so it wasn’t surprising that two Vegas goals knotted up the score in the second period. William Karlsson scored the first of the period before Brett Howden drilled one from a deep angle for the equalizer late on.

Brett Howden finds twine once again! 😳

Bar down to tie up Game 4! 😱 pic.twitter.com/fSt1ilrNie

— ESPN (@espn) June 10, 2026

Vegas couldn’t turn it around fully, however.

In the third period, Vegas made the most costly mistake of the game that got punished. A poor clearance in their own defensive area led to some opportune shots for Carolina.

Eventually it was Jordan Staal, a goalscorer from the first period, who capitalized with an angled diving effort. It could go on to be a memorable frame if Carolina gets it over the line for just the second time in franchise history (2005-06).

JORDAN STAAL DIVING GOAL FOR THE LEAD 😱

Continues to step up for Carolina on the biggest of stages 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9L04r3ZDH5

— ESPN (@espn) June 10, 2026

The goal would prove to be the winner as Vegas had to chase the action the rest of the way. Eventually, Nikolaj Ehlers added Carolina’s fifth in the closing minutes as Vegas had an empty net.

It’s been an incredibly even series so far with little margin for error on either side.

Both teams have exchanged wins since Vegas stole Game 1 on the road 5-4. Carolina responded with a 4-3 Game 2 win before the Golden Knights once again claimed a 5-4 final scoreline in Game 3. Game 4 was about to follow the one-score difference before Ehlers’ open-net finish.

If the victor trends are anything to go by, another tight game is in store for Thursday with Vegas in line for the win pattern. But Carolina is back on home ice and will be looking to defend it as the victor will be just one win away from hoisting the main prize.

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog has been named the NHL’s 2025-26 recipient of both the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy and the Mark Messier Leadership Award, the league announced Tuesday, capping a season that marked one of the most remarkable returns in recent NHL memory.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded annually by the Professional Hockey Writers Association to the player who best represents “qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey,” according to the NHL. The Messier Award, selected solely by Hall of Famer Mark Messier, goes to the player who best “exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice during the regular season.”

Taken together, the two honors underline just how significant Landeskog’s season truly was—both in his return to full-time play and in how he carried himself through it.

After winning the Stanley Cup in 2022, Landeskog missed three consecutive regular seasons due to lingering complications from a skate-blade cut over his right knee suffered in the 2020 bubble. The injury led to a long rehabilitation process that included four surgeries, most notably a cartilage transplant in May 2023.

Gabriel Landeskog was certainly not expecting a second award to appear when he sat down for this interview! 🏆

Watch as Landeskog's family surprises him with the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for the way he exemplified perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.… pic.twitter.com/AsaxY7hpgc

— NHL (@NHL) June 9, 2026

He eventually worked his way back through a conditioning stint with the AHL Colorado Eagles in April 2025, before returning to NHL action in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, appearing in five games during Colorado’s first-round loss to Dallas.

This season, Landeskog returned to the regular-season lineup for the first time since 2021-22 and played 60 games, finishing with 14 goals and 35 points. He followed that with a strong playoff run, adding six goals in 13 games as the Avalanche reached the Western Conference Final, where they were swept by the Vegas Golden Knights.

The season, however, was far from smooth.

In early January, Landeskog broke several ribs after catching an edge against the Florida Panthers on January 4 and crashing into the net. He missed the final 14 games before the Olympic break while recovering, but still returned in time to represent Sweden at the Milan Olympics.

Later in the season came another setback on March 6, when he was struck in the groin area on a shot during a sequence involving teammate Cale Makar. Landeskog later described the moment bluntly as hitting him “the nuts.” He underwent surgery and returned several weeks later, closing out the year in the lineup.

Despite the injuries, his impact when available was undeniable. Colorado went 45-7-8 with Landeskog in the lineup compared to 10-9-3 without him.

After being named a Masterton finalist again this year, Landeskog spoke candidly about the recognition but made it clear his perspective on the journey was unchanged.

“It’s humbling and a great honor and there’ve been amazing players with incredible stories and perseverance that have been nominated or accepted the award,” he said last month. “But for me and what I’ve gone through, it’s just so far beyond what anybody else is going to be able to label it or not. Whether I win the Masterton or not, it doesn’t change anything for me. … For me the ultimate prize I’ve already won, and that’s to continue working and getting to play hockey.”

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin and Winnipeg Jets forward Jonathan Toews were the other Masterton finalists.

Landeskog, who has spent his entire 12-year NHL career in Colorado, became the first player in franchise history to win either award. After everything he’s been through—multiple surgeries, long absences, and an uncertain return path—the dual honors serve less as a surprise and more as confirmation of what his season already showed: when he’s on the ice, he still sets the standard for leadership and perseverance in Colorado.