Stanley Cup playoffs daily: Previews, stats, schedule, bracketESPN staffJun 4, 2026, 07:00 AM ETMultiple Authors
tamil yogi
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final was an instant classic. The Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes traded scoring chances and goals back and forth throughout the 60 minutes, with the Knights emerging as the 5-4 victors.
Can the Canes strike back in Game 2 (8 p.m. ET, ABC) to tie things up, or will the Knights return home with a 2-0 series lead?
Here’s a rundown of key intel and trends heading into Game 2, as well as updated playoff stats leaders.
Read more:
Full schedule
Playoff Central
Experts’ picks
Stanley Cup odds
Offseason guide for eliminated teams
Thursday’s schedule
Vegas Golden Knights at Carolina Hurricanes
Game 2, 8 p.m. ET (ABC) | VGK leads 1-0
In Stanley Cup playoff history, teams that have won Game 1 in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final have gone on to win the series 76% of the time (65-21 series record).
Game 1 was the first occurrence in Stanley Cup finals history of goals getting scored in the first 30 seconds of the first and second periods: Nikolaj Ehlers tallied at 0:25 of the first, and Ivan Barbashev scored at 0:30 of the second.
Editor’s Picks
‘A quite special, elite player’: How Pavel Dorofeyev leveled up for the Golden Knights
Golden Knights win Game 1 thriller: Grades and big questions for both teams
Conn Smythe Watch: Who’s leading for MVP of the playoffs ahead of Stanley Cup Final?
The Golden Knights won all four Game 1s of their 2026 postseason run and are now on a seven-game win streak, setting a franchise record.
This was the second loss of the playoffs for the Hurricanes — both of which were in a Game 1 at home (Eastern Conference finals vs. Montreal and Tuesday’s loss). Carolina’s overall best-of-seven record when losing Game 1 is 7-12, but it is 1-0 this postseason.
Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore both had three points in Game 1, the third time in Cup finals history that a team has had multiple blueliners achieve this feat. The VGK duo joins Brian Leetch and Sergei Zubov (Rangers, 1994 against the Canucks) as well as Charlie Huddy and Paul Coffey (Oilers, 1985 against the Flyers).
Tomas Hertl scored the game winner in Game 1 with 3:24 remaining in the third period. This was the recent go-ahead goal in the Cup finals since Game 6 of 2017, when Patric Hornqvist scored for the Penguins with 1:35 left against the Predators.
Brett Howden scored his playoffs-leading 11th goal in the third period. He ties William Karlsson and Mark Stone (2023) for the second most in a single playoff run in franchise history, behind Jonathan Marchessault’s 13 (also in 2023).
All of ESPN. All in one place.
Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now
Ehlers’ two goals in the opening 12:08 of Game 1 were the fifth-fastest pair by one player to start a Cup finals series. It was his fifth career multigoal playoff game.
Carolina captain Jordan Staal previously won the Cup in 2009 with the Penguins, and he scored in Game 6 of that series. His goal in Game 1 came 16 years, 358 days later, setting a record for span of time between Cup finals goals — a record previously held by his brother Eric Staal.
The Hurricanes’ top three scorers from the opening three rounds — Taylor Hall (16), Jackson Blake (15) and Logan Stankoven (12) — were blanked in Game 1. The Canes’ top line of Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov also managed a goose egg in the box score. “Everyone has to play well if you’re going to win at this time of year. It’s as simple as that,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour mentioned Wednesday. “And your best guys have got to get on the score sheet. That’s going to have to happen if we want to get where we want to be.”
Thursday’s best bets
The bet: Andrei Svechnikov anytime goal scorer (+195)
While expecting another high-event thriller like we were treated to in Game 1 is probably too big of an ask, there’s no reason to anticipate the polar opposite from these two quality squads. So, ready yourself for more goals in Game 2, including necessary scoring from a disciplined Carolina team that has a reputation for making quick adjustments when and where necessary. Starting with the club’s top line.
Along with linemates Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, Andrei Svechnikov hasn’t been sufficiently productive this postseason. But not for a lack of effort. Sitting second to Logan Stankoven in shots on net with 44 in 14 postseason contests (3.14 shots per game) and a team-leading individual expected goals rating of 6.8 ixG (per Evolving Hockey), the Carolina winger has only three tallies to show for this playoff run. The Hurricanes face a much tougher task in getting by Vegas if their top unit doesn’t get going soon. Look for Svechnikov to pepper the net Thursday evening in Raleigh. — Victoria Matiash
The bet: Hurricanes moneyline (-162)
Carolina probably feels like they let one get away in Game 1, blowing a quick 2-0 lead and allowing Vegas to rally for a 5-4 win. Prior to the Game 1 loss, the Hurricanes had won 12 of 13 games this postseason. I like them to bounce back on home ice in a crucial Game 2 trying to avoid moving the series to Vegas while in an 0-2 hole. — Tyler Fulghum
Tuesday’s scoreboard
Vegas Golden Knights 5, Carolina Hurricanes 4
Golden Knights lead 1-0
With the crowd in Raleigh cranked up to 11, Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers provided an early reward with a goal 25 seconds into the game. He would add another at 12:08 of the first, and it looked like we were in for a rout. Vegas’ Shea Theodore would tally a goal through traffic at 13:28, however, making it 2-1 after one.
The second looked like a totally different game, as the Knights took over the momentum. That included a goal 30 seconds in from Ivan Barbashev to tie it, then William Karlsson’s second of the postseason about four minutes later to give Vegas its first lead. Carolina captain Jordan Staal scored on a seeing-eye laser at 12:42 to knot the score again after two.
Vegas got a quick one from Brett Howden (at 1:21) to take another lead … and the Canes came back to tie it, via an unassisted goal from defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere. While some were mentally preparing for overtime, the Knights pulled off a slick play that ended on Tomas Hertl’s stick, and then in the back of the net with less than four minutes to go. Despite some furious attempts by Carolina, that goal would stand as the game winner. Game 2 is Thursday in Raleigh. Recap | Grades
Playoff scoring leaders
PlayerGPGAP1. Mitch Marner, F, Golden Knights
Click here for full list of stats leaders.
Playoff goaltending leaders
PlayerGPWGAASV%1. Arturs Silovs, Penguins
Click here for the full list of goaltender stats.
Stanley Cup playoff bracket
ESPN Illustration
Terms of Use
