Brind'Amour Sends Hurricanes Into Game 6 Up 3-2 — Golden Knights Vs Hurricanes

golden knights vs hurricanes shifts to Game 6 on Sunday in Las Vegas with Carolina up 3-2 and one win from its first Stanley Cup in 20 years. The Hurricanes can end the series now, or send it back to Raleigh for Game 7 on Wednesday.

Brind'Amour and the 2006 memory

Rod Brind'Amour knows the margin is thin. He was captain of the Hurricanes' only other championship team in 2006, when Carolina led Edmonton 3-1, dropped Games 5 and 6, then finished it in Game 7 at home.

That history sits behind a series that has already swung Carolina's way. The Hurricanes have won two straight after changing goaltenders during Game 3, and they are 3-0 in close-out games this postseason, with wins over Ottawa, Philadelphia and Montreal. They have also built a 15-3 postseason record.

Bussi stays in net

Brandon Bussi will start again for Carolina after replacing Frederik Andersen at the start of the third period in Game 3. Bussi has played every minute since then and has earned wins in Game 4 and Game 5, while Andersen is a healthy scratch for the third consecutive game.

Jordan Staal and William Carrier are the only Hurricanes players who have won the Stanley Cup, and Jordan Martinook said he has imagined lifting the Cup over his head millions of times since he was a little kid. Sebastian Aho called it a tough game and said, “We expect their best. We expect our best, too.”

Vegas changes its lineup

Vegas will be without William Karlsson, and Reilly Smith and Bradeden Bowman are in the lineup for Karlsson and Keegan Kolesar. Kaedan Korczak also replaces Dylan Coghlan, and Carter Hart starts in goal for the Golden Knights.

Jackson Blake has 18 playoff points, tied with Taylor Hall for the team lead, and he said, “This is going to be the hardest one in my opinion.” Carolina already won Game 4 in Vegas, then backed it up with Game 5, so the series now turns on one road game for the Hurricanes and one desperate push for the Golden Knights to force the trip back to Raleigh.

Raleigh waits for Game 7

Brind'Amour said, “You have a team that you’re playing that knows how to win and has done it,” and added, “We know they’re not going away.” That is the frame for Sunday: Carolina can finish the Final in Las Vegas, while Vegas has to hold on long enough to make Wednesday in Raleigh matter.