Golden Knights Rally to 3-3 in Game 4 as Staal Scores in 4th Straight Stanley Cup Final

Q: Is starting a rookie goalie Carolina's secret weapon, or a desperate gamble that will cost them the Stanley Cup?

It looks more like a calculated gamble than a hidden “secret weapon,” but not an irrational one. Carolina did not turn to Brandon Bussi out of nowhere. He was excellent in relief in Game 3, stopping 18 of 19 shots and a penalty shot, and he had a strong regular season at 31-6-2. His right-catching style also gives Vegas a different visual look than Frederik Andersen, which can matter at the margins in a series where every adjustment is magnified. But the move is still risky because of the stage and the opponent. Bussi is a rookie making a Stanley Cup Final start against a Vegas team that has dominated the second period, outscoring Carolina 9-1 in the middle frame of the series. The Golden Knights have repeatedly erased deficits, and if they win Game 4 they take a 3-1 lead, a near-fatal position historically for the trailing team. The bigger issue is that this decision says as much about Andersen as it does about Bussi. Andersen carried Carolina through most of the playoffs with a 12-1 record and a .931 save percentage before the Final, but his form has dipped sharply against Vegas, and he was coming off a head collision and a “maintenance day.” In that context, Brind’Amour’s choice looks less like panic than necessity. So the answer is that Bussi can help Carolina, but only if the skaters fix the larger problem in front of him. Goaltending alone is unlikely to decide this series if Carolina keeps losing control of second periods.

Q: Vegas keeps erasing deficits. Is their 'comeback king' identity a fatal flaw or their championship key?

It looks more like Vegas’ championship key than a fatal flaw — but only if they stop needing it so often. The evidence for it being a strength is strong. The Golden Knights have repeatedly shown they can absorb pressure, stay composed and flip games quickly. In this Final, they have erased deficits in all four games, and their second-period dominance is the clearest sign of why: they have outscored Carolina 9-1 in the middle frame. That points to a team that adjusts well, generates quality chances even when being outshot, and has proven finishers such as Mark Stone, William Karlsson and Brett Howden. Across this postseason, that resilience has translated into wins, including comeback performances and clutch overtime results. But the pattern also exposes a real vulnerability. Teams built for championships usually control games more cleanly than this. Vegas blew a 4-0 lead in Game 3 before surviving in double overtime, and this series has now featured a two-goal lead disappearing in four straight games. That is not sustainable against a deep, opportunistic opponent like Carolina. If the Golden Knights keep relying on recovery mode, eventually the math can turn on them. So the identity itself is an asset; the underlying reason they need it can be a flaw. If Vegas pairs its comeback poise with better game management, it becomes a title-winning formula. If not, the same volatility that makes them dangerous could also reopen this series.

3 articles · Updated · WRAL News · Jun 10

Vegas erased a 3-1 deficit with two second-period goals to pull level 3-3 in Game 4, after entering the night with a 2-1 series lead.
Jordan Staal gave Carolina an early lift by becoming the first player in 44 years to score in each of the first four games of a Stanley Cup Final; Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake also scored.
Vegas has outscored Carolina 9-1 in the second period across the final, with Mark Stone, William Karlsson and Brett Howden supplying the Golden Knights' goals Tuesday.
Brandon Bussi started in place of Frederik Andersen for Carolina and made nine saves, with coach Rod Brind'Amour saying Andersen needed rest after being pulled in Game 2.
A Vegas win would put the Golden Knights up 3-1 in the series, a Finals margin teams have converted into the title 38 times in 39 chances.