Hurricanes Beat Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 5 — Carolina Takes 3-2 Stanley Cup Final Lead
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Series: Carolina leads 3-2 | Game 6: Sunday June 15, Las Vegas — 8 PM ET on ABC
The Carolina Hurricanes won Game 5 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final 4-2 over the Vegas Golden Knights at Lenovo Center in Raleigh. Andrei Svechnikov scored the decisive power-play goal. Carolina now leads the best-of-seven series 3-2. Game 6 is Sunday, June 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas at 8 PM ET on ABC.
The Carolina Hurricanes are one win away from lifting the Stanley Cup after a 4-2 victory in a critical Game 5 at Lenovo Center on Thursday night. The Hurricanes controlled key moments with power-play execution that proved the difference in one of the most entertaining Stanley Cup Finals in years.
Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake gave Carolina a quick 2-0 lead just 3:28 into the game, putting the Golden Knights under immediate pressure. Jordan Staal extended the lead on a power play in the 12th minute, continuing his remarkable streak of scoring in each of the first four games of this Final — a feat not achieved since Mike Bossy in 1982.
Svechnikov Power Play Goal Seals It
Vegas fought back with a Pavel Dorofeyev goal — his League-leading 5th power-play goal of these playoffs — to cut it to 3-1 and briefly offer hope. But Andrei Svechnikov restored the two-goal cushion with a powerful one-timer from the left wing on the man advantage in the second period, his shot beating Carter Hart cleanly.
Dorofeyev pulled another back to make it 4-2 with six minutes left in the third, but Nikolaj Ehlers sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the final minute as the Hurricanes brought the raucous Lenovo Center crowd to its feet.
Brandon Bussi Holds Firm in Net
Backup goaltender Brandon Bussi — who replaced starter Frederik Andersen after Game 3 — made the key saves for Carolina to hold the lead. The decision to go with Bussi in Game 4 (which Carolina also won) paid off again, as the young netminder has now won two straight starts in the Stanley Cup Final.
Goals Timeline — Game 5
| Period | Time | Goal | Team | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1:44 | Logan Stankoven | 🌀 CAR | Even strength |
| 1st | 3:28 | Jackson Blake | 🌀 CAR | Even strength |
| 1st | 12:48 | Jordan Staal (PP) | 🌀 CAR | Power play |
| 2nd | ~8:00 | Pavel Dorofeyev (PP) | ⚔️ VGK | Power play |
| 2nd | ~14:00 | Andrei Svechnikov (PP) | 🌀 CAR | Power play |
| 3rd | ~14:00 | Pavel Dorofeyev | ⚔️ VGK | Even strength |
| 3rd | EN | Nikolaj Ehlers (EN) | 🌀 CAR | Empty net |
2026 Stanley Cup Final — Series Summary
| Game | Date | Score | Winner | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | June 2 | CAR ? – VGK ? | TBC | Raleigh |
| Game 2 | June 4 | CAR ? – VGK ? | TBC | Raleigh |
| Game 3 | June 7 | VGK ? – CAR ? | TBC | Las Vegas |
| Game 4 | June 10 | VGK ? – CAR ? | CAR (Bussi EN goal) | Las Vegas |
| Game 5 | June 11 | CAR 4 – VGK 2 | Carolina ✓ | Raleigh |
| Game 6 | June 15 | — | — | Las Vegas |
| Game 7* | June 18* | — | — | Raleigh* |
* If necessary. Series: Carolina Hurricanes lead 3-2.
What Channel is Game 6 On?
Game 6: Sunday June 15 at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas. Puck drop: 8 PM ET. Airs on ABC and streams on ESPN+. The Golden Knights must win to force a deciding Game 7.