Stanley Cup Game Recap: Vegas Takes Exciting Game One

The Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights met tonight for game one of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Hurricanes swept the Senators, and the Flyers then beat the Canadiens in five games to reach the Finals. The Golden Knights went six games with the Mammoth and Ducks before sweeping the Avalanche to get to the Finals. The Hurricanes had Frederik Andersen in net, bringing in a 12-1 record with a 1.41 goals-against average, a .931 save percentage, and three shutouts. Carter Hart got the net for Vegas, bringing in a 12-4 record with a 2.22 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage.

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Vegas Golden Knights vs. Carolina Hurricanes

First Period

Game one got underway with Jack Eichel winning the opening faceoff. It took only 25 seconds for Carolina to take a 1-0 lead as Nikolaj Ehlers scored. Later in the first 20 minutes, with just under eight minutes, it was Ehlers once again as he made it 2-0 Carolina. Vegas would get one back just under a minute and a half later as Shea Theodore put one past Andersen to make it 2-1. The first period would end 2-1 Carolina, with the Hurricanes outshooting the Golden Knights 12-4.

Second Period 

Eichel won the faceoff once again to open the middle frame. In 30 seconds, it was a tie game as Ivan Barbashev beat Andersen. Vegas took its first lead of the game almost five minutes later as William Karlsson scored to make it 3-2. Vegas got the first power play as Mark Jankowski went for hooking. The Hurricanes would knot things up with just under 13 minutes gone from the period as Jordan Staal scored. Late in the period, Jalen Chatfield got called for tripping. The period would end with the game tied 3-3. Vegas outshot Carolina 11-4 in the period. Carolina outshot Vegas after 40 minutes, 16-15.

Third Period

Vegas in the third came out firing on all cylinders. The remainder of the penalty was killed off, but not long after, the Golden Knights took the lead back as Brett Howden scored on a deflection to make it 4-3 Golden Knights. Carolina got a power play as Rasmus Andersson was called for closing his hand on the puck, but the Golden Knights killed it off. Vegas got a power play as once again, Jankowski was called for delay of game. That penalty was killed off. The Vegas bench was mad about an icing call, and the call led to Shayne Gostisbehere tying the game to make it 4-4. Vegas took the lead back as Tomas Hertl scored with 3:24 left to make it 5-4. Carolina had chances but couldn’t beat Hart, and Vegas takes game one. Carolina outshot Vegas in the third, 11-8, and in the game, 27-23.

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