Tomas Hertl netted the decisive goal with 3:24 left on the clock, leading the Vegas Golden Knights to a thrilling 5-4 comeback victory against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night in Raleigh, N.C.
The Golden Knights mounted an impressive rally after falling behind 2-0 early, with Shea Theodore contributing one goal and three total points in the comeback effort. Brett Howden found the net once while adding an assist, and Ivan Barbashev along with William Karlsson each contributed single goals.
Between the pipes for Vegas, Carter Hart turned away 23 shots, while Brayden McNabb recorded a personal playoff-best three assists.
For the Hurricanes, Nikolaj Ehlers lit the lamp twice, and Jordan Staal plus Shayne Gostisbehere each added goals in the losing effort despite Carolina’s early 2-0 advantage. Jalen Chatfield contributed two assists, and netminder Frederik Andersen made 18 saves.
The second contest of the best-of-seven championship series takes place Thursday in Raleigh.
As the clock wound down in the seesaw battle, Hertl executed a perfect give-and-go play with Colton Sissons, collecting the return pass in the slot before firing a shot into the upper corner of the net.
Historical data shows teams winning the finals opener capture the Stanley Cup 76.4% of the time. That percentage decreases to 65.6% when the road team takes the first game.
Carolina suffered just their second playoff loss this season, but now faces pressure to even the series before it moves to Las Vegas. The Hurricanes had controlled the early action.
Ehlers got Carolina on the scoreboard with the third-quickest goal to begin a finals game in history. The opening shot of the game deflected off the goalpost and crossed the goal line just 25 seconds into play.
Ehlers doubled Carolina’s lead with a breakaway score at the 12:08 mark of the opening period.
Vegas rallied back with three consecutive goals to take control.
Theodore got the Golden Knights on the scoreboard 80 seconds following Ehlers’ second goal, as his shot from the point deflected off a Carolina defender and found the net.
Barbashev evened the score 30 seconds into the second period, placing a shot in the top corner from the slot area. Karlsson then put Vegas ahead 3-2 at 4:35 of the middle frame, capitalizing on a scoring opportunity near the goal line.
Staal knotted the game eight minutes later. Carolina capitalized on a Vegas turnover in their attacking zone, with Staal firing a shot from the slot to make it 3-3 entering the final period.
Howden restored Vegas’ lead when he deflected Theodore’s shot-pass 81 seconds into the third period.
But Gostisbehere equalized once more, scoring from the left faceoff circle at 11:19 of the final frame.
