Reilly Smith Enters Golden Knights Lineup for Game 6 Nhl Game

Reilly Smith is back in the Vegas Golden Knights lineup for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, replacing William Karlsson for Sunday’s nhl game against the Carolina Hurricanes at T-Mobile Arena. Vegas entered the night trailing the series 3-2 and facing elimination for the first time this postseason.

Smith Returns to T-Mobile Arena

Smith had not played since Game 6 of the Western Conference First Round against the Utah Mammoth on May 1. He brings 85 career playoff points in 123 games, including 29 goals and 56 assists, and he has 26 points in 69 regular-season games this season.

Before this season, Smith had already built a strong playoff track record in Vegas. He helped the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup in 2023, and he was part of the club’s run to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final with 22 points in 20 playoff games.

Karlsson Leaves After Game 5 Hit

Karlsson was injured in the second period of Game 5 on Thursday after taking a hit from Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker at 8:26. He was holding his left arm and wrist when he left the game, and Vegas later had to make the switch for its second-line center in the final.

Karlsson had centered the second line for most of the postseason after returning from a lower-body injury in Game 1 of the second round against the Anaheim Ducks on May 4. He has nine points in 15 postseason games, with three goals and six assists, so his absence removes a key middle-six piece from a lineup already under pressure.

Vegas Leans On Experience

Colton Sissons praised Smith before Game 6, saying, "Reilly has been a great teammate all season long" and, "He’s got the experience. He’s a talented player that can really impact the game." Mitch Marner called Karlsson’s absence "a big miss" and added, "It obviously (stinks) losing Will, but it’s a next-man-up mentality."

Smith also arrives with a recent stop-and-start path back into the lineup. The Golden Knights selected him from the Florida Panthers in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 28, 2023, and reacquired him on March 6, 2025, leaving him as one of four original members still with the team.

For Vegas, the move is simple: replace a hurt center, lean on a player with championship history, and try to extend the series on home ice. For Smith, it is another chance in a building where he has already produced big playoff moments.