The start of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final looked like a runaway for the Carolina Hurricanes as Nikolaj Ehlers scored 25 seconds in for the home team, then scored again with 7:52 remaining in the first period to give Carolina a 2-0 lead.
But the Vegas Golden Knights flipped the script from a dominant Carolina start to secure a 5-4 thriller and a 1-0 series lead. They also stole home-ice advantage to set up a high-pressure Game 2 for Carolina.
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Vegas reeled off three straight goals before Carolina answered to send the game into the third period tied 3-3. The teams then traded goals again before Tomas Hertl put the Golden Knights up for good with 3:24 remaining.
The Hurricanes emptied their net for the game’s final minutes, but couldn’t come up with one final counter as the Golden Knights hung on to steal Game 1 on the road.
Can Vegas pull off another stunning upset?
The loss was just the second of the postseason for the Hurricanes, who swept the opening two rounds, then won four straight after losing Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final at home to the Montreal Canadiens. They’ll now hope for a repeat performance of that series against the Golden Knights.
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Vegas, meanwhile, remains on a tear after a stunning sweep of the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference final. The Avalanche were the best team in the regular season and the overwhelming favorite to win the Stanley Cup, but couldn’t muster a win against the Golden Knights.
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Vegas has now won seven straight playoff games after entering the postseason with the fourth-best record in the Western Conference. Now it’s three wins away from securing the fledgling franchise’s second Stanley Cup in its ninth season of existence against the best team from the Eastern Conference.
Hurricanes blow early lead in sloppy game for both teams
It did not look like that would be the case early Tuesday night. Ehlers turned a Vegas turnover into a transition goal on Carolina’s first shot of the night 25 seconds into the game. Per ABC, the goal was the third-fastest in Game 1 history and the fastest since 1976.
The goal sent Raleigh’s Lenovo Center into a frenzy that his second goal less than 13 minutes later amplified. The Hurricanes were controlling the puck and appeared to be in control of the game.
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But Vegas answered late in the first to cut Carolina’s lead in half with a Shea Theodore slapshot.
From there, Vegas took control. The Golden Knights scored two more goals to open the second period and answered Carolina’s 12-4 first-period shots-on-goal advantage with an 11-4 edge of their own in the second.
But like Vegas in the first, Carolina answered with a late goal in the second off another Vegas turnover to tie the game at 3-3.
Vegas started the third period with a goal on a Brett Howden one-timer from Theodore before Carolina again tied the game on a Shayne Gostisbehere slapshot with 8:41 remaining.
That goal was set up by an icing penalty that Vegas protested that put the puck near the Vegas net.
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Ultimately, Vegas was vindicated thanks to Hertl’s game-winner and now has a chance to take a 2-0 series lead.
Theodore led the Vegas scoring effort with one goal and two assists. Howden tallied one goal and two assists, while Brayden McNabb posted three assists.
Ehlers led the Carolina offense with two goals, while Jalen Chatfield assisted on two goals.
Carolina’s Frederik Andersen allowed five goals on 23 shots on the net. Vegas’ Carter Hart surrendered four goals on 27 shots on goal.
Both teams struggled with puck control as several shots were scored off turnovers. Carolina committed 16 giveaways while securing seven takeaways. Vegas gave the puck away 18 times while securing three giveaways.
Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday night in Raleigh (8 p.m. ET, ABC).
Live coverage is over30 updates
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 8:03 PM PDT
Ryan Young
The two teams will run it back on Thursday for Game 2. We’ll see if the Hurricanes can snap Vegas’ win streak.
Stanley Cup Final Game 2
When: Thursday, June 4 | 8 p.m. ET
Where: Lenovo Center | Raleigh, NC
TV: ABC
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 8:00 PM PDT
Ryan Young
After a battle to get us started, the Vegas Golden Knights have rallied to secure Game 1 and take an early lead in the Stanley Cup Final.
It’s their seventh straight win in the playoffs.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 7:54 PM PDT
Ryan Young
Well that might just do it. Tomas Hertl just put the Golden Knights in the lead after a perfect goal in the middle with less than four minutes left in regulation.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 7:40 PM PDT
Jason Owens
The Hurricanes won a faceoff by the Golden Knights’ net after an icing penalty, and Shayne Gostisbehere capitalized with a slapshot into the net past Carter Hart.
The game’s tied at 4-4 with 7:49 left in regulation. Game 1 is going down to the wire.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 7:38 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Both teams are at full force under the 9-minute mark after Carolina killed the Vegas power play opportunity. Vegas leads, 4-3 with
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 7:35 PM PDT
Jason Owens
The Hurricanes failed to get a shot on goal in their power play, and Vegas maintains a 4-3 lead.
And the Golden Knights now have a power play after a delay of game penalty with 10:57 remaining in regulation. A critical juncture for the Hurricanes.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 7:32 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Vegas’ Rasmus Andersson got penalized for catching the puck with his hand and tossing it. Carolina has a power play and a 4-3 deficit as we approach the midpoint of the third period.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 7:22 PM PDT
Jason Owens
This time it took more than a minute for the first goal of the period.
Shea Theodore set up Brett Howden for a one-timer wrist shot on the left side of the net, and the puck once again got past Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen.
Vegas retakes the lead at 4-3 with 18:39 remaining in regulation. A Carolina home crowd that cheered on a 2-0 Hurricanes lead is stunned.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 7:10 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Shots on goal
Carolina: 16
Vegas: 15
Power play opportunities
Carolina: 1, 0 goals
Vegas: 2, 0 goals
Hits
Carolina: 17
Vegas: 15
Takeaways
Carolina: 4
Vegas: 2
Giveaways
Carolina: 13
Vegas: 14
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 7:02 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Vegas flipped the script and turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead in the second period. But Carolina tied it up with another breakawy goal off another Vegas turnover, and an action-packed game will go into the third perioed tied at 2-2.
It’s really been a tale of two periods. The Hurricanes controlled the puck in the first and held a 12-4 edge in shots on goal. Vegas then clamped down on Carolina’s attack and secured an 11-4 advantage in shots on goal in the second.
Most of the goals so far have come off of opponents’ mistakes and mismanagment of the puck. Whichever team plays the cleanest third period is likely to come out of Game 1 with the win.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 6:45 PM PDT
Jason Owens
The Hurricanes have stopped the bleeding. Vegas started the second period with an 8-2 edge in shots on goal while shutting down Carolina’s offense.
But the Hurricanes have tied it up at 3-3 with another breakaway goal.
Jordan Staal turned a Vegas turnover into slapshot that got past Carter Hart into the back of the net. The game is tied again with 7:18 remaining in the second period.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 6:31 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Make it three straight goals for the Golden Knights.
This time, William Karlsson got the puck past Frederik Andersen, and Vegas has a 3-2 lead. Carolina’s 2-0 advantage seems like ages ago.
Andersen’s allowed three goals on just eight Vegas shots, making moot Carolina’s 14-8 edge in shots on goal.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 6:23 PM PDT
Jason Owens
The second period picked up where the first left off.
Ivan Barbashev scored a goal for Vegas 30 seconds into the start of the second period, and the Golden Knights have tied it up at 2-2. Carolina’s scorching start is a thing of the past.
Buckle up.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 6:15 PM PDT
Jason Owens
North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick has a nice seat in NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s box.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 6:12 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Shots on goal
Carolina: 12
Vegas: 4
Faceoffs won
Carolina: 10
Vegas: 10
Power play opportunities
Carolina: 0, 0 goals
Vegas: 1, 0 goals
Giveaways
Carolina: 7
Vegas:
Takeaways
Carolina: 2
Vegas: 0
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 6:06 PM PDT
Jason Owens
An action-packed first period is in the books, and the Hurricanes are up, 2-1.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored a breakaway goal 25 seconds into the game to send the Lenovo Center into a frenzy. Less than eight minutes later, he did it again to give the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead as Carolina threatened to turn the game into a runaway.
But Shea Theodore ensured that the game would remain close with a slapshot past goaltender Frederik Andersen to cut Carolina’s lead in half.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 5:54 PM PDT
Jason Owens
The Golden Knights aren’t ready to let the Hurricanes run away with this.
Shea Theodore snuck the puck through traffic and past Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen on a slapshot for a goal to cut Carolina’s early lead in half.
The Hurricanes lead, 2-1 with 6:32 remaining in an action-packed first period.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 5:48 PM PDT
Jason Owens
We’ve got another Nikolaj Ehlers goal, much like the first.
Ehlers took a pass off a Golden Knights turnovers and cruised in for a 1-on-0 transition goal past Vegas goaltender Carter Hart. Carolina has a 2-0 lead with 7:32 reamining in the first period.
Hart’s been under assault since the pucked dropped as the Hurricanes hold a 9-2 edge in shots on goal.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 5:40 PM PDT
Jason Owens
With 12:06 remaining in the first period, Carolina has a 5-1 edge in shots on goal and a 1-0 lead.
Tue, June 2, 2026 at 5:34 PM PDT
Jason Owens
Per the ABC broadcast, Ehlers’ goal was the third-fastest in Stanley Cup Final Game 1 history and the fastest since 1976.