Game 5 was a game to forget for the Vegas Golden Knights. Sure, things were looking all rosy and bright after Pavel Dorofeyev scored on the power play. But pesky Jordan Staal scored his sixth goal of the Stanley Cup Final, kicking off an avalanche of goals for the Carolina Hurricanes.
The result? A 4-2 drubbing of the Golden Knights, putting Vegas down 3-2 in the series. Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov (twice) scored for the Hurricanes, leaving them within a game of winning their second Stanley Cup. Somewhere, Sean McDonagh is about to blow like he's on Fremont Street and he's a little tipsy.
Dorofeyev added another goal in the third period, bringing his total to 12. Something tells me that the winger's about to get a nice payday in the offseason. Hopefully, it's with the Golden Knights, who could use his services on the power play and the point.
But there was more misfortune for the Golden Knights than merely being one game away from second place. An Original Misfit left the game in the second period, leaving Vegas down a man. Here's a breakdown of all the bad luck and terrible juju.
Losing William Karlsson hurts the Vegas Golden Knights in more ways than you can imagine
William Karlsson took a nasty hit to his left arm in the second period. The ensuing aftermath left him down the tunnel, where he went for a more thorough examination. That's not good news for the Golden Knights, who need everyone on board for the series remainder.
William Karlsson went to the dressing room following this hit
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 12, 2026
He has yet to return at the start of the third period of Game 5 pic.twitter.com/B99AmbfgqH
How, you ask? Well, the Original Misfit is great at deterring attackers from getting high-danger chances. As bad as Carter Hart (nearly spelled his name as "Crater") has been in the Stanley Cup Final, the Golden Knights can't afford to lose any more two-way players. That includes Karlsson, who plays a cerebral game defensively.
Losing him means that Carolina has the inside edge for more dangerous chances. That's especially true with their downhill attack, which has been problematic for Vegas throughout the series. If Karlsson's a no-go for the series remainder, that will make the Golden Knights' Stanley Cup pursuit an uphill climb.
Brandon Bussi played the exact style that Carter Hart should've been playing in the Stanley Cup Final
Speaking of Hart, he was stymied by that same downhill attack from the Hurricanes. He stopped 21 of 23 shots, leaving Golden Knights fans frustrated. Should John Tortorella call for a goaltending change like Rod Brind'Amour did with the Hurricanes? It's looking much more tempting.
I'll have the "four goals allowed" special, please.
Speaking of Brind'Amour, his swap for Bussi is starting to pay off. The Hurricanes' netminder had a solid glove all night. Suddenly, Carolina is up 3-2 and is on the doorstep of winning the Stanley Cup.
Tortorella needs an answer quickly, especially with the looming possibility of William Karlsson being out. If Carter Hart is cooked and can't finish strong, the Golden Knights will be the Stanley Cup bridesmaids and Carolina will be "happy, happy, joy, joy" throughout the summer.
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