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Vegas Golden Knights’ Tomas Hertl (48) shoots the puck toward Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) during the third period in Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, June 2, 2026.<\/p>\n
Karl B DeBlaker\/AP Photo\/Karl B DeBlaker<\/p>\n
Vegas Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore, left, and Carolina Hurricanes’ Nikolaj Ehlers, right, collide during the second period in Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, June 2, 2026.<\/p>\n
Ben McKeown\/AP Photo\/Ben McKeown<\/p>\n
Vegas Golden Knights congratulate goaltender Carter Hart following Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, June 2, 2026.<\/p>\n
Karl B DeBlaker\/AP Photo\/Karl B DeBlaker<\/p>\n
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) \u2014 The Vegas Golden Knights were up one, down to a frantic 5.6 seconds left to secure Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.<\/p>\n
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The Hurricanes won a faceoff in the Vegas zone, with Logan Stankoven passing to Alexander Nikishin up top for a one-timer from a young defenseman known for his hard shot. But Mitch Marner jumped in the path of the blast<\/a> and blocked the puck with the inside of his left knee, a painful stop that ultimately closed the door on Carolina.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n It epitomized the edge, precision and killer instinct that these Golden Knights are playing with as they try to win the Cup for a second time in four years. After winning twice on the road to start a shocking sweep of Colorado in the West final, they now have a chance to do the same against the team that finished second to the Avalanche in the regular season. Game 2 is Thursday night.<\/p>\n \u201cTo me that’s common sense,” coach John Tortorella said Wednesday. \u201cYou win one, you want to win the next one. You don’t want to let any momentum slip away.\u201d<\/p>\n When Vegas went into Colorado and won Game 1 last round, Tortorella and his players brushed off stealing home-ice advantage, making it clear they were there for more instead of being content with a split.<\/p>\n The same goes now after Tuesday’s 5-4 win at Carolina, with Tortorella noting afterward, \u201cMomentum swings happen quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n That can be particularly true when playing a team that went 12-1 through three rounds to secure its first shot at the Cup in two decades, coming after years of building in an eight-year playoff run before finally punching through its East final roadblock.<\/p>\n The Hurricanes’ only loss before Tuesday had come with a rusty start in Game 1 of the East final against Montreal after going 11 days between rounds, the longest playoff break in more than a century. And they pounced on Vegas with an opening-minute goal en route to a 2-0 first-period lead.<\/p>\n Yet the Golden Knights \u2014 who rallied from a three-goal deficit in Game 3 against the Avalanche \u2014 have an opportunity to hand the Hurricanes more losses in a week than they had the rest of the playoffs combined, largely by sticking together and sticking to their game.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you start to change and you start to chase the game, usually it doesn\u2019t go so well for you,” captain Mark Stone said. “We have done a really good job of just sticking to the way we play and not taking too much unnecessary risks, and we were able to get ourselves back in the game.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Game 1 offered another chapter in Vegas’ march that began with a late-season coaching change by firing Bruce Cassidy to hire Tortorella. The Golden Knights have won 20 of 25 games since, and seem to be getting better in every playoff round with a roster featuring tested talent from that 2023 title with players like Jack Eichel, Brett Howden, William Karlsson, Mark Stone, Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb.<\/p>\n They regrouped from a 2-1 deficit in Round 1 by winning a pair of overtime games before closing out Utah in six games. They beat Anaheim in six, winning the last two. Then came the sweep of Colorado, with the high-powered Avalanche managing seven goals in four games after leading the league in scoring (3.63).<\/p>\n Against Carolina, the Golden Knights gave up a goal to Nikolaj Ehlers on the rush just 25 seconds in, then another to Ehlers on a breakaway for the 2-0 lead.<\/p>\n But Vegas pushed back with three unanswered goals to silence a hostile crowd. They also twice responded when the Hurricanes tied the score, the last coming with Tomas Hertl taking a backhand pass from Colton Sissons and beating Frederik Andersen from the slot with 3:24 left.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n