Hurricanes squander fast start, fall to Golden Knights in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final

Chip Alexander, The News & Observer (Raleigh) on Jun 2, 2026

Published in Hockey

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RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes waited 20 years for another trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

It took them 25 seconds to score in it, but they’re going to have to wait at least another two days for another win.

Nikolaj Ehlers’ early goal Tuesday had the Lenovo Center faithful on their feet and roaring, and Ehlers soon scored again as the decibel count soared, but Game 1 against Vegas was anything but a Canes breakaway. The Golden Knights regrouped to take a 5-4 victory at Lenovo Center.

Tomas Hertl’s goal with 3:24 left in regulation was the winner in a tight-checking, hard-fought game. Hertl collected the puck along the boards, circled to slot, took a return pass from Colton Sissons and beat Canes goalie Frederik Andersen with a shot from the slot.

Game 2 is set Thursday at Lenovo Center before the series moves to Las Vegas for two games.

The Canes came into game 12-1 in the playoffs, their loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the first game of the Eastern Conference final. It was a party scene outside the arena before the game, with a band to liven things up, and again thousands tailgating.

After formal introductions of the starters — and loud boos for Vegas goalie Carter Hart — they finally dropped the puck, and it was game on.

It was 3-3 after two periods in a game of ebbs and flows — the Canes with the better first period, the Golden Knights controlling much of the second.

Brett Howden pushed Vegas ahead early in the third after the Golden Knights hemmed the Canes into their zone. Howden’s redirection of Shea Theodore’s pass came at 1:21 of the period, that began with the Canes killing off the remainder of a penalty and unable to make a full change.

A goal by Shayne Gostisbehere again tied it, the defenseman jumping on a loose puck in the left circle after a faceoff in the Vegas zone.

It was a gritty game, more grinding than free-flowing. But that should be the nature of a series that matches two teams that value the puck and are stubborn in giving up good shots against.

With his first goal, Ehlers became the second player on record in NHL playoff history to score on his first shot to start the Cup Final. With his second, he became the first player since Al MacInnis of Calgary in 1989 to score twice in the first period of an opening game in the Cup final.

Defenseman Jalen Chatfield had assists on both goals — his first multi-point playoff game.

Vegas shakes off rust

The Golden Knights, after sweeping the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference final, were playing their first game in a week. It showed. They were a half-step slow in the opening period, managing four shots on goal and fumbling the puck a few times.

But Vegas got a break when a shot by defenseman Shea Theodore hit the leg of Canes forward Eric Robinson in front of the crease and got past Andersen. The Canes’ lead was 2-1 after the first.

It was all Vegas early in the second as the Canes were caught out of position defensively in their zone and the Golden Knights made the most of it, Ivan Barbashev scored 30 seconds into the period, and William Karlsson at 4:35 off a sharp setup pass from Mitch Marner.

Just like that, Vegas had the lead. But the Canes had an answer before the second period ended.

Defenseman K’Andre Miller picked off a Noah Hanifin pass near the Vegas blue line and quickly got the puck to Jordan Staal near the left circle. Staal wristed a shot past Hart and left out a big howl after his third goal of the playoffs.

Staal’s oldest brother, Eric, was picked to sound the warning siren before the start of Game 1. Eric Staal starred on the Canes’ 2006 Cup champions and gladly handled the siren assignment.

All-Star Weekend to have new format

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, in Raleigh for the Cup Final, said Tuesday that the 2027 All-Star Weekend will be held Feb. 5-6 at UBS Arena and hosted by the New York Islanders.

A new format will include five teams competing in a 3-on-3 tournament. Teams from the U.S., Canada, Finland and Sweden, plus a “World” team of international players — including Russian players — will play a round-robin event. The winning team will receive top prize of $2 million.

Bettman said an All-Star Weekend would be held every two years.