Carolina Evens Stanley Cup Final Series In Game 4 With 5-3 Win After Heartbreaking Game 3 Loss; It’s Game 5 In Raleigh On Thursday
Story by Alan Snel Photos by Hugh Byrne and Tyge O’Donnell
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — This whisker-close Stanley Cup Final is going at least six games.
The Carolina Hurricanes captured Game 4 on Vegas Golden Knights ice with a 5-3 win after scoring two goals in the third period to snap a 3-3 tie entering the final stanza.
The series is tied at two games each with Game 5 in Raleigh, North Carolina on Thursday and Game 6 here at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday.
*
Game 4 Tuesday faced the impossible task of serving as an encore after Saturday’s heart-stopping VGK double overtime win..
Game 1 was a one-goal win for VGK and that game was followed with two overtime games, including the people-can’t-stop-talking-about Game 3 won by the VGK.
Vegas led the series two games to one heading into tonight. And most are thinking this series is going at least six games, or perhaps the distance of seven games.
The games have been that close.
Elvis was sad after Game 4.
And so was Jack Eichel.
And yes, this series is going at least six after the Hurricanes’ win. Jordan Staal scored the winner in period three and Nikolaj Ehlers sealed the win with an empty-netter with 55 seconds left.
Vegas coach John Tortorella said his players need to cover Staal in front of the VGK net.
“We have to do better,” Torts said of tracking Hurricanes player near the blue paint in front of the Knights goal.
*
Carolina did its part to guarantee a Game 6 back here in Las Vegas Sunday by scoring three goals in the first period and taking a 3-1 lead into the first intermission.
The Hurricanes struck early with a goal by Logan Stankoven only 66 seconds into the game. Jackson Blake scored for Carolina less than 2:30 later. After a Mark Stone goal cut the VGK deficit to 2-1, Staal tallied a power play score for the Carolina 3-1 advantage after the first period.
*
LVSportsBiz,com spoke with ESPN broadcaster and NHL insider Kevin Weekes who discussed the VGK strategy of going big on acquiring bigtime players like Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner and Mark Stone.
Weekes talked with VGK owner Bill Foley nine years ago when the franchise’s players were picked in the expansion draft.
Even then there was a swing for the fences attitude and it’s paid off with three NHL Final appearances in the team’s nine years. Weekes compared the VGK Cup Final appearances to the Cup wins by the Los Angeles Kings more than a decade ago.
*
It became a one-goal game when VGK center William Karlsson scored only 4:22 into the middle stanza.
And then there was that man again — Brett Howden scored his amazing 14th goal of the postseason to deadlock this Game 4 at three apiece heading into the third period.
*
Carolina took a 4-3 lead on the Staal goal and Ehlers polished off the Hurricanes win with the empty-netter.
PSA
