Winners, losers from Game 2 of Stanley Cup Final: Hurricanes storm back to tie series

The NHL. When this matchup was set, there was an outpouring of disappointment from national media types and fans, lamenting how it was not a popular matchup among longtime NHL powers and would potentially be a ratings disaster.

The first two games have been instant classics, while Game 1 drew huge numbers on TV 

Good hockey sells. This is good hockey. 

Brett Howden, forward, Vegas Golden Knights. Okay, he was on the losing side, but we are looking at the long game here. With two goals on Thursday night, Howden is up to 13 goals this postseason and is really starting to solidify himself as a Conn Smythe contender as playoff MVP if Vegas ends up winning the series.

His 13 goals are now tied with Jonathan Marchessault for the most in a single postseason in Vegas franchise history.

Marchessault set the mark during the 2023 playoffs when Vegas won the Stanley Cup, and he won the Conn Smythe.

He has also exceeded his regular-season goal total, making him the first player in NHL history to score at least 12 goals in the regular season and then exceed that total in that year's playoffs.

Game 2 losers

John Tortorella, Vegas Golden Knights. Tortorella has pushed most of the right buttons since taking over behind the Golden Knights bench, but that changed late in the third period on Thursday with an ill-advised coach's challenge that he did not win, resulting in the power play that gave Carolina 3-2 lead.

He got lucky when Vegas tied the game with a minute to play to send the game to overtime, but it was still a massive momentum shift that changed a lot in the game. 

Brayden McNabb's injury for Vegas. McNabb left Thursday's game in the first period after taking a slap shot to the face and did not return. His injury, combined with Tortorella's apparent lack of trust with Dylan Coghlan, resulted in Vegas playing most of the game with only four defenders. Not an ideal situation for a Stanley Cup Final game. 

2-0 leads. Carolina had a 2-0 lead in Game 1, then lost. Vegas had a 2-0 lead in Game 2, then lost. The best defense for a 2-0 lead? Make it a 3-0 lead.