DENVER (AP) — Carter Hart’s journey back to playoff hockey has been marked by dramatic changes, but his exceptional goaltending remains unchanged.
Four years ago, the 21-year-old netminder backstopped the Philadelphia Flyers through a second-round playoff appearance during the Toronto bubble, recording a 9-6 record with a .926 save percentage and two shutouts.
Following an extended absence from hockey due to his involvement in the Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal — charges from which he was later cleared — Hart signed with the Vegas Golden Knights this past December. His playoff performance has been instrumental for Vegas, posting a 9-4 record and helping the team capture a crucial 4-2 road victory against top-seeded Colorado to open their Western Conference Final on Wednesday evening.
“We know they’re a good team,” said Hart, who has maintained a .920 save percentage in these playoffs while surrendering only 2.35 goals per game. “We know they got a lot of skill on their team and we respect that, but you can’t respect them too much. And I thought we did a good job of defending and limiting their time in space and I thought we blocked a lot of shots tonight and got in a lot of lanes and tied up some sticks.”
Hart delivered an outstanding performance between the pipes, denying 36 of 38 shots he faced. The only goals that beat him came from a between-the-legs score by Valeri Nichushkin and a late tally from Gabe Landeskog during a power play when the Avs had pulled goaltender Scott Wedgewood for an extra attacker.
“Carter Hart’s a hell of a goalie,” said Golden Knights coach John Tortorella, who assumed coaching duties in Vegas on March 29 and previously coached Hart in Philadelphia. “He was great in Philly for me, and we’ve got two good ones, you know. (Adin Hill)’s kind of been put off to the side a little bit, that’s a guy that just won a Stanley Cup a couple years ago.
“But Carter, I think he’s grown so strong mentally. I don’t think much bothers him. He is just zeroed in. And he’s going to have to be, because we’ve got a lot of work to do here.”
The admiration flows both ways.
“Yeah, I think he’s done a great job coming in here,” Hart said. “It’s never easy coming in late in the season like he did and I think he’s done a tremendous job of just rallying the group and earning the guys’ trust and I really enjoy playing for him. I enjoyed playing for him in Philly and I’m happy he’s here.”
Hart’s hockey career was put on hold in early 2024 when he was given an indefinite leave of absence after facing charges related to an alleged sexual assault involving members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team in connection with the Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal; all charges against him were dismissed last year, allowing him to return to professional hockey with Vegas.
League officials reviewed the situation and permitted the cleared defendants to return to play beginning Dec. 1, 2025. Hart became the first among the five Canada junior players to secure an NHL contract, inking a two-year, $4 million deal before spending time with Vegas’ American Hockey League affiliate in Henderson, Nevada.
Following his contract signing, Hart delivered a statement to media members that included his desire “to show the community my true character and who I am and what I’m about.”
His current performance demonstrates his value to Vegas’ Stanley Cup aspirations. Hart stopped 10 shots during a scoreless opening period as the Golden Knights demonstrated they wouldn’t follow the path of the Los Angeles Kings or Minnesota Wild, who managed just a 1-8 combined record against Colorado in earlier playoff rounds.
“It’s huge,” Hart said. “To come out like we did, I thought we came out really good in the first period and I know this is a hard building to play in and it was huge for us just to get rolling and just start off the right way and then build off that.”
