For the first time in 20 years, the Carolina Hurricanes took the ice with a chance to claim the Stanley Cup. The group put together its most complete effort in Game 5 on Thursday night, stifling the Vegas offense for most of the contest, while the Canes' big stars found their groove. Andrei Svechnikov scored twice, and Sebastian Aho added another in a 4-2 win to take a 3-2 lead in the series.
The Hurricanes kept their lineup the same once again, giving Brandon Bussi a chance to finish the job for good. Vegas was forced to make some changes after William Karlsson was ruled out. Reilly Smith returned to the lineup in his place. The Golden Knights also brought Braedon Bowman in for Keegan Kolesar up front, and Kaedan Korczak replaced Dylan Coghlan on defense.
The tone was set early by the Stankoven line. After Jackson Blake and Jaccob Slavin combined to thwart an entry for Vegas, Slavin found Taylor Hall behind the Golden Knights' defense. One-on-one with Carter Hart, Hall scored on a breakaway to get the Canes going early. Bussi was forced to make some big stops during the latter stages of the period, keeping the Canes ahead by a goal after 20.
Just like on Thursday, the Canes were stout defensively in the second. Vegas got a few looks early in the frame, but they failed to record a shot over the final 15+ minutes. Meanwhile, Carolina added to its lead. Logan Stankoven's relentless forechecking generated a few chances, though the goal by Jackson Blake came courtesy of a weird bounce off a Vegas stick. After two, the lead was two.
The third period embodied exactly what got the Hurricanes to this point. They shut the Golden Knights down defensively. Jack Eichel had a golden chance on the power play to cut the deficit to one, but he rang the crossbar. Instead, Nikolaj Ehlers scored into the empty net, and that was all she wrote. For the first time in 20 years, the Carolina Hurricanes got to the top of the mountain.
Bussi stood on his head when Vegas pushed its hardest
When the team turned to Brandon Bussi in Game 3, they knew they would be alright. Tonight was the culmination of one of the most incredible stories in the NHL this season. It's very fitting that the final game of the season saw Bussi shut out Vegas. He did it stylishly, too. The Golden Knights came out and played a strong game, but they couldn't solve the Canes' netminder.
His biggest stop of the night came late in the third with Hart on the bench. Shea Theodore's shot from the point was stopped, but the rebound popped right to Tomas Hertl. Bussi lost his balance, but he had the wherewithal to track the puck and make the rebound stop from his backside. When Vegas couldn't get that one to go, it felt like nothing was getting through Bussi tonight.
Jordan Staal claims the Conn Smythe after a brilliant Stanley Cup Final
After Mitch Marner's performance in Game 3, I was convinced that he was going to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason MVP, regardless of the outcome. However, the more that Jordan Staal did to put the team on his back in this series, the less of a certainty it felt. When it was all said and done, the captain earned the distinction, even if this was a full-team effort.
Game 6 was the only game in the series that didn't feature a goal from the captain, denying him history as the first player with a six-game goal streak to begin the Stanley Cup Final. Instead, Staal let his defensive play speak the loudest tonight. He finished with a shot and two hits before being named the Conn Smythe recipient, the oldest in league history to earn the honor.
Additional Thoughts
It's almost too perfect that the line that led the team throughout the postseason was the line that got them over the finish line. Jackson Blake finished with a goal and an assist tonight, leading the team in scoring this postseason with 20 points. Taylor Hall scored the series-clinching goal early in the first period, and Logan Stankoven added a helper on the insurance marker. They were the team's rock.
The efforts to get this job done run through the entire team. They all put their bodies on the line to make this win happen. Jaccob Slavin picked the best time to play his best hockey of the playoffs. He also earned the primary assist on the Cup-winning tally from Hall. Jalen Chatfield had four blocks. Andrei Svechnikov laid six hits. This team was relentless from start to finish.
As Jordan Staal lifted the Stanley Cup, all of the emotions of the moment came flooding out. Many of us have been here and longed for that moment we felt 20 years ago. The front office put a team on the ice that made that feeling a reality. It's an almost indescribable feeling, but we know what it feels like again. I'm so proud of this team. They deserve to be called Stanley Cup Champions.
Up Next: There's going to be a parade at some time in the near future celebrating the Stanley Cup Champions. The front office will turn its attention to the NHL Draft, set for Friday, June 26, in Buffalo, New York. Free agency will follow soon after on July 1. As for when the puck will drop again, that won't come until the prospects play in September. Until then, we'll enjoy this moment.
