Jason OwensStaff writer
Tue, Jun 9, 2026 at 10:03 PM PDT
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In a Stanley Cup Final filled with thrills, the series delivered again Tuesday in Game 4.
The Vegas Golden Knights rallied from a 3-1 first-period deficit to tie the game 3-3 heading into the third. Then Jordan Staal answered for the Hurricanes with his second goal of the night in the third period in Carolina’s 5-3 win.
With the victory, the Hurricanes tie the Stanley Cup Final at 2-2 with the series headed back to Raleigh for Game 5.
Like they did in Game 1, the Hurricanes struck first and early, this time with a goal by Logan Stankoven 1:06 in. They converted again minutes later on a Jackson Blake goal and left the first period with a 3-1 lead.
Carolina’s offense went cold in the second period, as Vegas tied the game with two consecutive goals. But Staal delivered in the third with his second goal of the night on an acrobatic game-winner.
Vegas turned the puck over near its own net, and Carolina took control behind it. Nikolaj Ehlersthen found Staal with a pass across the goal, and Staal put it in the net with a one-timer from the right side as he fell to the ice.
An empty-net goal after Vegas pulled goaltender Carter Hart ensured that Game 4 was the first of the series to be decided by more than one goal.
Staal finished with two goals on four shots and delivered two hits. Ehlers delivered two assists and the empty-netter in the game’s final minute. Carolina controlled the puck for much of the night and finished with a 28-21 advantage in shots on goal.
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Brett Howden, Mark Stone and William Karlssoneach scored for Vegas. Hart allowed four goals on 27 shots.
For the Hurricanes, it’s the fourth time in four Stanley Cup Final games in which they’ve scored four goals or more. But that tally has been good for only two wins in a series that has been filled with fireworks.
Change in goal pays off for Hurricanes
Rookie Brandon Bussi got the start in goal for the Hurricanes on Tuesday, the first of his career in the postseason. Frederik Andersen had started Carolina’s 16 previous playoff games, a steady force in goal as the Hurricanes advanced to their first Stanley Cup Final since winning it in 2006.
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But Andersen allowed five goals in a 5-4 Game 1 loss. And he gave up four goals in the second period of Game 3 on Saturday and was replaced by Bussi in the third. Vegas went on to a 5-4 win in double overtime.
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Who will start in Game 5?
Rod Brind’Amour declined to divulge who would start in Game 4 until the Hurricanes delivered their lineup in the hour before puck drop. Bussi got the start. And Andersen didn’t suit up. Pyotr Kochetkov served as Bussi’s backup Tuesday but wasn’t needed.
Brind’Amour explained his decision to ESPN during an in-game interview.
“He played great when he came in,” he said of Bussi in Game 3. “And we rode Freddie pretty hard here, so it’s time to give him a little bit of a breather. It just made sense.
