Prior to Carolina’s dramatic rally, prior to Vegas needing a clutch goal with just over a minute remaining to force overtime, and prior to Seth Jarvis finding the net in the extra period, Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final was marked by an eerie quiet.
The enthusiastic fans who had been thunderous at the series opener sat in shocked silence as their cherished team was held scoreless through 40 minutes for the first time since mid-January. With under 15 minutes on the clock, they faced the possibility of a devastating 2-0 deficit that historically only five teams out of 55 have managed to overcome for championship glory.
The wild sequence that unfolded concluded with Carolina claiming victory in thrilling style, transforming this matchup into a genuine battle between two elite NHL franchises. The third contest takes place Saturday evening in Las Vegas.
Should it mirror the opening pair of games, fans should prepare for more surprises ahead.
“It’s obviously a new series, a five-game series now,” said defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who leads the Hurricanes with three points so far in the final. “A lot of emotions throughout the games, too. For almost 50 minutes there it’s kind of low, and then kind of even, then really high, then low again, and then high. It’s a roller coaster for sure.”
This championship round is developing into something resembling a seesaw, featuring dramatic shifts in momentum. This marks the first Cup final in NHL history where both opening contests included comeback victories of multiple goals.
Carolina has become the first squad in 82 years to claim victory in a final game when trailing by multiple goals inside the last 10 minutes of regulation time. That achievement also makes Vegas — which trailed by two in the series opener — the first franchise since 1944 to surrender such an advantage.
“The sport of hockey is funny that way,” Golden Knights center William Karlsson said Friday. “I think that’s why we all love it. It can go either way at any times …. But it’s hockey. It’s a game of mistakes, and it’s bound to happen.”
The Hurricanes, who dominated their first three playoff rounds with 12 victories and only one defeat, have encountered a worthy opponent in Vegas, which became apparent in the opening game. What has also emerged is that neither squad will allow themselves to be overwhelmed for a complete evening, despite periods where one team controls play.
“It’s going to be hard to play your best game — that’s the point,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “It would be great if you could do it for the whole 60 minutes. But it’s probably not going to be that way because they’re a very, very good team.”
Counterpart John Tortorella emphasized that again before he and his team flew home, insisting he likes where Vegas is at two games into its biggest challenge yet this postseason. The Golden Knights have stolen home-ice advantage and get to play the next two on The Strip, where Tortorella can better control matchups.
“There’s no difference,” Tortorella said. “We’re going to play. We know how to play. We know how we want to play.”
Carolina understands their approach as well, which they demonstrated during the closing moments of Game 2. Logan Stankoven ignited the rally, Mark Jankowski maintained the momentum, and Jordan Staal converted on a power play following Tortorella’s unsuccessful goaltender interference challenge that became a pivotal moment.
Naturally, Vegas’s control for most of the opening two periods and early in the third demonstrated why they have been so dominant since Tortorella assumed control in late March. Brind’Amour recognized the atmosphere surrounding his squad was more positive than it might have been without the comeback, though neither team should expect to feel overly confident for extended periods in such a series.
Players are welcoming this as part of the excitement.
“This is exciting,” Jarvis said. “This is what playoff hockey’s all about is tight games and momentum swings, and you never really know what’s going to happen next. I don’t think you can ask any more of a playoff series.”
