Vegas edges Carolina 5-4 in thrilling Stanley Cup Final opener
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 3, 2026, 3:08 AM
Last updated Jun 3, 2026
The Stanley Cup Final began Tuesday night with a dramatic match in Raleigh, N.C., where the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4. Nikolaj Ehlers scored two goals for Carolina, including the opener just 25 seconds into the game. Despite falling behind 2-0 early, Vegas rallied with significant contributions from Ivan Barbashev and Tomas Hertl. The match featured multiple lead changes and critical saves, including a glove stop from Carter Hart on a shot by Seth Jarvis. This high-scoring game showcased both teams' offensive capabilities and sets the stage for a competitive series ahead.
- •Vegas wins the Stanley Cup Final opener 5-4 against Carolina.
- •Nikolaj Ehlers scores twice for the Hurricanes, including an early goal.
- •Vegas rallies from a 2-0 deficit to claim victory.
- •Carter Hart makes crucial saves for Carolina.
- •Tomas Hertl scores the go-ahead goal for Vegas late in the game.
- 3:08 AMYahoo Sports — Vegas and Carolina put on a show to get the Stanley Cup Final off to a terrific start
"One sweep and one lopsided five-game series in the third round sucked some of the air out of the NHL playoffs. Vegas and Carolina brought it all back with a terrific start to the Stanley Cup Final. The Golden Knights' 5-4 victory on Tuesday night had a little bit of everything, from Nikolaj Ehlers scoring 25 seconds in for the Hurricanes and lifting an already riled-up crowd to its feet to each goaltender making big saves to keep the puck out of the net.
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