The Stanley Cup Final is now a best-of-five series after the Carolina Hurricanes picked up the win in Game 2. They sent the fans on a wild ride, looking dead for 50 minutes before turning it on. The Canes scored three straight goals before conceding the tying goal in the final minutes. Seth Jarvis was the overtime hero, scoring on the power play early in the fourth period to secure the second game.
After the lines were changed midway through Game 2, Rod Brind'Amour opted to keep those groups the same despite the pregame line rushes indicating otherwise. Brayden McNabb, who exited Thursday's contest after taking a puck to the nose, was good to go for tonight's game. Frederik Andersen and Carter Hart were manning the nets.
Offense was at a premium in the first period for both teams. The Canes had the better chances, especially the Staal line, courtesy of Seth Jarvis. Hart was sharp, and Andersen did what he could before standing on the other end of the ice without a shot for over 15 minutes. Vegas was trying to run through everyone on the ice. It resulted in a scoreless period to open the night.
Vegas scored six times in the second. The first two didn't count because of offside and goalie interference. The next four did. Tomas Hertl started it on the power play. Then, Mitch Marner picked up a natural hat trick. The first went in off Sean Walker's stick. The second came after the Canes failed to clear the puck. The third was on a slap shot. After two periods, Vegas led 4-0.
Brandon Bussi was in the net to open the third, and he was under siege early. He had to face Marner on a penalty shot and stood tall. This was the wake-up call the Canes needed. Jordan Martinook, Taylor Hall, and Jordan Staal scored three goals in 39 seconds to pull within one. Then, on a late power play, Andrei Svechnikov poked the puck home, tying the game and sending it to overtime.
Nothing was resolved during the first overtime, as both netminders stood on their heads to keep the game tied. It certainly wasn't for a lack of chances. With a second overtime required, Game 3 ended on one of the most bizarre bounces imaginable. Shea Theodore's shot from the point missed the net, hit the end boards, and deflected in off Bussi's skate, ending the game in heartbreaking fashion.
The Hurricanes have developed a problem with second periods
During all three games of this Stanley Cup Final, the Hurricanes have been outscored 7-1. Tonight, they allowed four goals, and they looked genuinely abysmal doing so. That doesn't even include the two goals in the opening four minutes that came off the board because of successful challenges. The Canes are doing it to themselves defensively to make life that much harder against a very good team.
Sure, you can chalk the one goal up to a bad bounce, and it was probably the second-worst bounce of the night, in hindsight. The rest of them were just bad. A mix-up at the bench leads to a power play and a goal. Then, they failed to get the puck out and gave up an easy one. The last one was a blocked shot that turned into a breakaway. They are self-inflicted moments, and they can't keep happening.
Brandon Bussi stepped up and has earned the right to start Game 4
I give no grief to Frederik Andersen for how this game went. He was hung out to dry. That being said, the move to Brandon Bussi was the correct call. He hadn't played since the season finale in April, and there was no better time for him to come in and make his postseason debut. He was thrown right into the fire, and his stop on the penalty shot is what sparked the comeback.
I'm absolutely gutted that he is credited with the loss in this game. Bussi was never beaten by a shot thrown at the goal. Vegas had to bank it off the boards to get it done. I don't think it's very controversial to say that Bussi needs to be in the net for Game 4. He was outstanding in relief, stopping 18 shots. Andersen has gotten the team here, but this change needs to happen.
Additional Thoughts
It'll probably go underappreciated, especially with how much the fan base has been on his back, but Sebastian Aho had a great third period. He picked up a pair of assists, both coming on incredible plays. His pass to Taylor Hall was unreal, and he batted a clearing attempt out of mid-air before Andrei Svechnikov tied it. Aho is starting to find it a little, which could be a good sign for the Canes.
A bad sign for the team was the injury to William Carrier, which prevented him from playing after the second period. He made a hit along the boards and was in considerable discomfort. There were a lot of hits and bumps that caught a lot of players on both teams in some awkward spots. It's a good thing that these two will have two days to rest before the next one.
I said it during the second intermission, but I'll reiterate it now. This series is only 2-1 with Vegas picking up the win. The Canes were the better team for most of the final 45 minutes of this game. All it takes is a win on Tuesday night to turn the series back in their favor. They need to turn it into a best-of-three with home ice advantage. Game 4 has turned into a must-win.
Up Next: Game 4 on Tuesday night has some big shoes to fill. The first three games of this series have been out of this world. The line between winning and losing has been razor-thin. We know for sure that we'll play one more game in Raleigh on Thursday night. The question is whether the Stanley Cup will be in the building for Vegas to win, or if we'll plan for a return trip to Vegas next weekend.
