The Vegas Golden Knights may have lost William Karlsson for the rest of the NHL Stanley Cup Final, a blow that landed during a 4-2 Game 5 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh that pushed Vegas to the brink of elimination.
William Karlsson Leaves Game 5 In Raleigh
Karlsson appeared to injure his left arm or shoulder a little over eight minutes into the second period after being knocked into the boards by Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker, according to the Associated Press. He received attention on the bench, skated off and did not return.
Vegas coach John Tortorella said after the game that Karlsson was probably not going to be available, adding that the Golden Knights have to fill the void as a team. That is a hard sentence to dress up when the series is already tilted toward Carolina.
Golden Knights Penalties Open Door For Carolina
The game changed around Karlsson's exit. AP reported that Vegas took four penalties that became two Carolina power-play goals, turning a difficult road game into an elimination problem.
Carter Hart also allowed four goals for a fifth consecutive game in the series. Carolina's 4-2 win leaves the Hurricanes one victory from the Stanley Cup and gives Vegas little time to solve both its discipline issue and its center-depth problem.
Karlsson's Return Had Reshaped Vegas Depth
Karlsson had already changed the Golden Knights' postseason when he made his playoff debut at the start of the second round. AP noted that his return shifted Mitch Marner to the wing and gave Vegas the kind of reliable center depth that usually matters most in June.
He had nine points in 14 playoff games after missing the previous six months with an undisclosed injury. If Karlsson cannot return, Vegas loses more than a name from the lineup; it loses a structural piece in the middle of the ice just as Carolina has pushed the Final to match point.