Knights strike first
Vegas knocked off Carolina 5-4 on Tuesday, grabbing the opening game of the Stanley Cup Final on the road.
Tomas Hertl broke a 4‑4 tie with just under four minutes left in the third period, beating Frederik Andersen.
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
The Golden Knights sliced through a Hurricanes defense that had appeared impenetrable through the first three rounds.
Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb combined for six points from the blue line, a quiet sign that the back end can swing a tight game.
Mitch Marner added a pair of critical plays—an assist and a blocked shot in the closing moments—to keep his Conn Smythe‑ Trophy quest alive.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice for Carolina, yet the Hurricanes spent most of the final two periods chasing the game.
Turnovers and a tentative net presence from Andersen proved too costly for the home side.
Both clubs now head to Carolina for Game 2, needing a split to keep the series level.
Series schedule
Game 2: Thursday, June 4 | at CAR | 8 p.m. | ABC
Game 3: Saturday, June 6 | at VGK | 8 p.m. | ABC
Game 4: Tuesday, June 9 | at VGK | 8 p.m. | ABC
Game 5 (if needed): Thursday, June 11 | at CAR | 8 p.m. | ABC
Game 6 (if needed): Sunday, June 14 | at VGK | 8 p.m. | ABC
Game 7 (if needed): Wednesday, June 17 | at CAR | 8 p.m. | ABC