The Carolina Hurricanes evened the Stanley Cup Final at two games apiece Tuesday night, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3 in Game 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Captain Jordan Staal provided the decisive goal with 13:28 remaining in the third period, poking a bouncing puck past Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart during a chaotic sequence in front of the Vegas net. The goal was Staal’s second of the night and his third of the series.
“A lot of kids grow up and they dream about doing something like this,” Bussi said on the ABC broadcast. “I’m honored to have the opportunity. It was a great effort by us tonight. Excited to get back to Raleigh, N.C.”
Nikolaj Ehlers added a goal and two assists for Carolina. Bussi, making his first career playoff start, recorded 18 saves.
The Hurricanes opened the game with a quick burst, outshooting the Golden Knights 14-6 in the first period. Logan Staknoven beat Hart just 66 seconds into the game for a 1-0 lead. Jackson Blake doubled the advantage at the 2:22 mark.
Mark Stone cut the deficit to one for Vegas about four minutes later, but Staal answered with a power-play goal with 7:12 remaining in the first period to restore the Hurricanes’ two-goal edge.
As in each of the first three games of the series, the Golden Knights mounted a second-period comeback. William Karlsson and Brett Howden each beat Bussi to tie the score 3-3 entering the third period.
Staal’s go-ahead sequence began when Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis intercepted a pass from Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore directly in front of the Vegas net. Jarvis’s initial shot was denied, but the puck remained loose in the slot. Ehlers collected it and sent a pass toward the slot, where Staal poked the puck away from defenders and flicked it into the air as he fell. The shot sailed past Hart’s reach for a 4-3 advantage.
“It was hectic like the series has been,” Bussi said of Staal’s goal. “He’s a big-time player. He leads us every day and plays the right way and is rewarded.”
Ehlers sealed the victory with an empty-net goal with 55 seconds remaining.
The Hurricanes outshot the Golden Knights 28-21. The Golden Knights committed 23 giveaways against Carolina’s 15.
Hart made 23 saves in the loss. Karlsson recorded a goal and an assist for Vegas.
Game 4 marked the first time in Stanley Cup Final history that four consecutive games included a team rallying from multiple goals down to tie the game. It was also the first time in NHL history that both teams scored three or more goals in each of the first four games of a championship series.
The Hurricanes will host the Golden Knights in Game 5 at 8 p.m. EDT Thursday in Raleigh. Game 6 is scheduled for Sunday in Las Vegas. Game 7, if necessary, would be played June 17 in Raleigh.