Vegas Carolina Game 5 has come and gone. The Stanley Cup will be in Vegas on Sunday for Game 6, with the Carolina Hurricanes having a shot at winning it. The Stanley Cup Final is now led by the Carolina Hurricanes with a 3-2 series lead, after a 4-2 win. Brandon Bussi started for the second consecutive game, with Pyotr Kochetkov backing up. Goaltender Amir Miftakhov was also recalled from the Chicago Wolves prior to the game.
Credit Image: © Luis Santana/Tampa Bay Times via ZUMA Press Wire
Vegas Carolina Game 5 Featured a Script Change, as Canes Stood Tall Throughout
An Evenly Matched First Period, For Once
The game started out very tightly, until a costly Nikolaj Ehlers delay of game penalty resulted in Pavel Dorofeyev opening the scoring on the power play at 6:54. Vegas scored on their first shot of the game.
Jordan Staal has now scored a goal in all five Stanley Cup Final games, as the Canes captain continued his hot streak with a tip-in at 11:46. The undeniable Conn Smythe winner if Carolina ends up winning it all. Staal is the first player since 1956 (Jean Beliveau) to score in the first five games of a Stanley Cup Final.
GUESS WHO!?
Jordan Staal evens it up with his SIXTH goal of the Stanley Cup Final!
📺: ABC, @Sportsnet, & @TVASports pic.twitter.com/njyOISxuj6
— NHL (@NHL) June 12, 2026
This was an evenly matched first period, which feels rare in this series. Carolina also did not outshoot Vegas in the first period for the first time in the series and only managed five shots in the first 20 minutes.
Carolina Flips the Script in the Second Period, Takes Lead After 40
The second period initially featured a very low-event period with scoring chances few and far between. The lull was broken after two straight penalties from the Golden Knights resulted in a goal by Andrei Svechnikov at 11:58. Just under six minutes later, Sebastian Aho took the puck from skate to stick and scored his first goal of the final at 17:51 to give the Canes a two-goal lead. Talk about flipping the script, as the Canes have struggled immensely in second periods so far in this series. Carolina would take a 3-1 lead going into the final frame.
William Karlsson went to the dressing room midway through the second period with what looked like an injury to his left arm after taking a hard hit from Sean Walker.
WELCOME TO THE STANLEY CUP FINAL, SEBASTIAN AHO!!! 🐟
HE GIVES THE CANES A 3-1 LEAD 💥 pic.twitter.com/QJFI5iiq19
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 12, 2026
Canes Hold On In The Third Period, Take 3-2 Series Lead
Karlsson did not return for the start of the third period, which was a tough loss, given how strong his playoff run has been so far. He reportedly left the building for further medical examination. Mark Stone would take a double minor penalty for high-sticking at the worst time, as it led to Andrei Svechnikov getting his second goal of the game to extend the lead.
With 6:11 left, Pavel Dorofeyev got his second goal of the game to cut the lead to 4-2. That was as close Vegas would get, as Carolina did a great job clogging up the shot lanes and the neutral zone after that.
Carolina Could Win the Stanley Cup this Weekend
The Hurricanes held serve at home, locking it down when it mattered most. They have scored four or more goals on Carter Hart in all five games in this series. Hart is the first goalie to allow four or more goals in the first five games of the Stanley Cup Final. However, with potentially just one game remaining in this series, pivoting to Adin Hill would prove to be a big risk. Highly doubtful that Tortorella would be that bold.
SVECH HAS ANOTHER 🚨🚨
CAROLINA HAS A THREE-GOAL LEAD IN THE THIRD!! pic.twitter.com/KC8My5xi1s
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 12, 2026
Looking Ahead
Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final will be on Sunday, June 14th, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, with the Stanley Cup in the building. Carolina will have a chance to win the championship in Sin City, while Vegas will have to defend the fortress in Game 6 to send it to a winner-take-all seventh game.
Main Photo Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
