Should Hurricanes make goalie switch for Game 4 of Stanley Cup Final?

With the Carolina Hurricanes facing a 2-1 series deficit against the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, head coach Rod Brind'Amour is almost certainly going to be contemplating some lineup changes before Game 4 on Tuesday night.

One of those decisions might involve his starting goalie and whether or not he needs to make a change from Frederik Andersen to backup Brandon Bussi.

Should Hurricanes make goalie switch for Game 4 of Stanley Cup Final?

Andersen was lifted from Saturday's 5-4 overtime loss after giving up four goals in the second period (plus two other goals that were called back on replay reviews) and replaced by backup Brandon Bussi.

Bussi held his own in the third period and gave Carolina a chance to get back into the game and force overtime, with his biggest moment coming on a penalty shot save against Mitch Marner.

The Hurricanes' comeback attempt ultimately fell short when Vegas scored the game-winning goal in overtime on a fluky play that saw the puck bounce off the end-boards, hit off the back of Bussi's leg, and then bounce into the net.

It was a tough play and a tough result for Carolina, but Bussi made a strong impression in his play on Saturday.

Brind'Amour was asked about a potential goalie change on Sunday, but was not ready to announce a decision.

He also said not to anticipate many lineup changes.

The dilemma for the Hurricanes is that Andersen was one of the best goalies in the playoffs through the first three rounds, and entered the Stanley Cup Final series as a legitimate Conn Smythe Trophy contender.

Andersen has not played up to that same level through the first three games of the Final. He has already allowed 12 goals in the first three games, while managing only an .815 save percentage.

The Hurricanes have struggled at times defensively, but even if you dig into it with a more advanced analytics look, Andersen's play has not been good enough. Through the first three games, he has faced just 8.36 expected goals (via hockey analytics site Natural Stat Trick) while allowing 12 actual goals. That is nearly four goals more than expected. In a series where every game has been decided by a single goal, with all three games being tied in the final five minutes of regulation, and with two games going to overtime, that is a significant issue. 

While Andersen is the more experienced player on a career level, Bussi played more games during the regular season and outperformed Andersen when he did play. Bussi owned an .894 save percentage to Andersen's .874, while also saving 2.8 goals above expected versus the minus-3.3 mark Andersen had. 

It would be a bold move.

Perhaps a risky move given the experience level and how big the stage is.

But sometimes you need a bold move to get through a series like this. 

Andersen has not yet played anything close to his best hockey in the series, and the Hurricanes do not have much wiggle room in waiting for him to start doing so.