NHL Stanley Cup Final 2026 — Game 5 | PNC Arena, Raleigh | 11 June 2026 | Carolina lead 3-2
One win from the Stanley Cup.
Carolina beat Vegas 4-2 at PNC Arena on Thursday to take a 3-2 series lead in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. Jordan Staal opened the scoring. Andrei Svechnikov put away two power play goals. Sebastian Aho extended the lead in the second period. Vegas answered twice through Pavel Dorofeyev but were never ahead and never close enough to threaten Carolina’s grip on the match.
Game 6 is Sunday night in Las Vegas. Vegas must win or they go home. Carolina need one more.
The Key Moments
Jordan Staal scored at 11:46 of the first period to give Carolina the lead. It was his sixth goal of the Finals, and his fifth consecutive Finals game with a goal. He is now only the fourth player in NHL history to score in each of the first five games of a Stanley Cup Final. The last player to do it was Yvan Cournoyer in 1973.
Pavel Dorofeyev gave Vegas a power play goal at 6:52 of the first period. He leads all 2026 playoff scorers with 10 goals in 13 games. Without Dorofeyev, this series would not be going to a Game 6.
Carolina went up 2-1 when Andrei Svechnikov converted on the power play at 11:58 of the second period. Sebastian Aho added a third at 17:51 of the second, his first goal of the Finals and his fifth of the playoff run. The Hurricanes went into the third period leading 3-1.
Svechnikov scored his second power play goal of the night at 11:08 of the third to make it 4-1. Dorofeyev pulled one back for Vegas at 13:49, but 4-2 is where it ended.
Brandon Bussi was composed in goal for Carolina, turning away 21 of 23 shots. Across Games 4 and 5 he has made 59 saves from 65 shots, a .908 save percentage.
Carter Hart and the Record He Did Not Want
No goaltender in NHL history has allowed at least four goals in each of the first five games of a Stanley Cup Final. Carter Hart now holds that record alone.
Before this series, Hart had been one of the best goalies in this playoff run: a 2.22 GAA and .924 save percentage across 16 games on the way to the Final. The series has been different. His GAA through five Finals games sits at 4.04. The Hurricanes have scored four or more every night. Hart has not been able to stop the power play, and Carolina have converted 6 of 13 chances across the series.
One thing is clear: it takes two very good teams to produce a series at this level. Carolina have been excellent. Vegas have been kept in it almost entirely by Dorofeyev, who continues to operate at a level far above his pre-series profile.
What It Means
Carolina lead 3-2. They are one win from their first Stanley Cup since 2006. Game 6 is at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, 14 June, with an 8pm ET start. Tickets are sold out.
Vegas need a home win to keep the series alive. Carolina need 60 minutes more and they lift the Cup.
The power play is the clearest analytical edge in this series. Carolina at 6 for 13 (46%) have been clinical whenever they have the man advantage. If Vegas concede another penalty or two in Game 6, the arithmetic becomes very difficult for them.
Jordan Staal. Andrei Svechnikov. Sebastian Aho. Brandon Bussi. This is a Carolina team with contributions at every level, and they have earned the right to close it out on the road.
Next Fixture
- Game 6: Sunday 14 June 2026, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas. 8pm ET. Vegas face elimination.
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