06/14/26 10:34:00
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06/14 22:32 CDT Hurricanes use stifling defense to blank Golden Knights 3-0 in
Game 6 and win the Stanley Cup
Hurricanes use stifling defense to blank Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6 and win
the Stanley Cup
By MARK ANDERSON
AP Sports Writer
LAS VEGAS (AP) --- Carolina spent the first part of the Stanley Cup Final
surviving, finding ways to overcome deficits and play a high-scoring game that
didn't fit the Hurricanes' typical style.
But when it came down to doing what it takes to win the Cup, the Hurricanes'
defense put its stamp on this series, shutting down the Vegas Golden Knights
and not letting up.
The Hurricanes held Vegas to five total goals in Games 4 and 5 and used a
suffocating defense in a 3-0 shutout in Sunday night's clinching Game 6 to win
their first championship in 20 years.
"That's a lot of years," said Carolina center Jordan Staal, who received 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."
Brandon Bussi, who entrance late into Game 3 helped turn around the series for
Carolina, recorded his first career playoff shutout in stopping 22 shots.
Jackson Blake had a goal and assist, and Taylor Hall scored just 3:47 into the
game to set the tone. Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-net goal.
"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 reach the final, struggled
badly to muster any kind of offense in Game 6 and went 18:37 between shots on
goal in the second and third periods. Playing in their third Cup final, this is
the first time they have been shut out.
This clinching game was what many observers expected the series to be like
between the defensive-minded teams, but each side watched leads of two-plus
goals disappear in the first three 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 game of the series that Vegas goalie Carter Hart didn't
allow four goals in a game. He finished with 20 saves.
The Hurricanes began to assume control of the series after falling behind by
the score of 4-0 in Game 3. They came back force overtime, and though the Canes
lost, they outplayed the Golden Knights from there on out.
Reflecting the do-or-die situation for the Golden Knights, they made several
lineup changes, with Brett Howden replacing the injured William Karlsson at
second-line center. Mitch Marner could have moved there, but remained at right
wing.
Original Golden Knight Reilly Smith made his Cup final debut at third-line
right wing, and Braeden Bowman made his playoff debut at fourth-line right
wing. Kaedan Korczak replaced Dyland Coghlan on the third defensive pairing.
This title is a testament to Carolina's resilience as a franchise that kept
coming close to winning the Eastern Conference, but couldn't quite get through
until now.
Brind'Amour made sure the Hurricanes kept getting back up after losing in the
conference final twice in the past three years and three times in their current
eight-year playoff run. The talent was clearly there, but there was always a
stumbling block.
Not anymore.
After dispatching Montreal in five games to make the final, the Brind'Amour-led
Hurricanes then faced perennial power Vegas and took care of business there,
too. Now, he will get his name on the Cup for the second time.
So will 37-year-old Staal, who also won the title in 2009 with Pittsburgh. He
planted himself in front of Hart and dared the Golden Knights to knock him out
of the way. Staal scored in each of the first five Cup final games, the first
time that has happened.
The Hurricanes got off to a fast start with a goal just 25 seconds into Game 1,
only to lose 5-4 on a late goal from Tomas Hertl. And the Golden Knights were
on the verge of taking complete control as minutes ticked down in Game 2 while
holding a 2-0 lead and appearing as if they would take a two-game advantage
back home.
Then, it all changed. Carolina showed a fight that not only brought the
Hurricanes back into the series by rallying to win 4-3 in overtime on Seth
Jarvis' one-timer, but would serve as their signature throughout the series.
That was especially true the following game when the Golden Knights took a 4-0
lead into the third period and the Canes seemed to have no answers. Brind'Amour
even appeared to wave the white flag by removing goalie Frederik Andersen and
replacing him with Bussi.
But the Hurricanes weren't simply trying to get to Game 4. They sent a message,
going on a remarkable rally to force overtime. Though Carolina lost, it was
inflection point, with Bussi backstopping a team that was only growing
stronger. Carolina then went on to win the next two games and moved within a
victory of the championship.
The Hurricanes got it done against the Golden Knights team that was on a heater
after John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the
regular season. Vegas then went from third in the Pacific Division to first,
knocked off Utah and Anaheim in six 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 list whether to make Tortorella a full-time coach. He didn't have
any guarantees of coaching in Vegas beyond this season, but getting to the Cup
final is a good argument to run it back.
Golden Knights management will make the final call on that, and they don't
always follow league norms.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
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