The Club Hits Reset
After dispatching the Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in a third-round sweep, the Vegas Golden Knights are back in the Stanley Cup Final for the third time in nine years. They'll face the Carolina Hurricanes, who emerged from the Eastern Conference having lost just one game since April 13.
The matchup offers a fascinating tactical contrast. Vegas, now playing a complete defensive game under new head coach John Tortorella, relies on a lethal forecheck and a penalty kill that has scored four shorthanded goals while conceding just five power-play markers through three rounds. Carolina, meanwhile, maintained a staggering 61 per cent expected goal share during its conference run, controlling play through dominant puck possession rather than opportunistic finishing.
The Timing Says Plenty
The Hurricanes' power play has been notably broken in the postseason, averaging just 4.2 goals per 60 minutes against Ottawa, Philadelphia, and Montreal—dead last by regular season standards. If Vegas can maintain discipline in this series, special teams could tilt the outcome.
On the other side, K'Andre Miller's massive summer contract is looking like a steal. The Hurricanes are outscoring opponents 16-3 with Miller on the ice at even strength, a 13-goal margin that represents the best number of any playoff skater.
The Next Hire Matters
This feels like the series the season deserved. Carolina was the pick heading in, and their puck dominance through the Eastern Conference was no fluke. But the 2025-26 Golden Knights are a different team than the one that stumbled through the regular season—more like the club that won it all in 2023. Expect a seven-game nail-biter.