Golden Knights Stanley Cup Final Gameday Preview: Game 5 at Hurricanes

Welcome to another Vegas Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup Final Gameday Preview! The Stanley Cup Final is now a best-of-three. Both the Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes are two wins away from the Stanley Cup, but also just two losses away from a two-month journey ending just short of the gold. There has to be a winner and a loser. After Game 5, one team will be facing elimination.

Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup Final Gameday Preview: Game 5 at Hurricanes (Series Tied, 2-2)

The Golden Knights had a chance to take a commanding lead in Game 4, but fell short, losing 5-3. The Golden Knights fell behind 2-0 early, but managed to tie the game heading into the third period. However, Jordan Staal scored his second of the game with 13:28 left, giving the Hurricanes a lead they would hang onto.

Despite the loss, Vegas head coach John Tortorella thought the team played with good effort. He quickly praised the team for their effort before switching gears to Game 5.

“Flush this. We worked hard to get back into it. And I thought we had a really good third period. Jack (Eichel) hits the crossbar. We hit a post. But we don’t get it done. So we need to flush it and get ready for our next game.”

Game 5 Projected Lineup (Subject to Change)

• Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone
• Brett Howden – William Karlsson – Mitch Marner
• Tomas Hertl – Colton Sissons – Pavel Dorofeyev
• Cole Smith – Nic Dowd – Keegan Kolesar
  
• Brayden McNabb – Shea Theodore
• Noah Hanifin – Rasmus Andersson
• Jeremy Lauzon – Dylan Coghlan
  
• Carter Hart/Adin Hill

Team Leaders

Marner leads the Golden Knights in points (29), assists (19), and plus/minus rating (plus-15). Howden continues his strong postseason play, leading the team with 14 goals, two more than he scored in the regular season. Smith remains the team leader with 24 penalty minutes.

Between the pipes, Hart has recorded 14 wins while posting a 2.51 goals-against average (GAA) and a .912 save percentage (SV%).

Storyline #1 – No Lead is Safe

It is said that the two-goal lead is the worst lead in hockey. The team in front is not always sure whether to keep their foot on the gas or play prevent-defense. Sometimes the leading team gets too complacent. For the trailing team, if they cut the lead to one, the bench is suddenly energized, and the momentum swings back in their favor.

The two-goal lead has not been safe in this series. The Hurricanes lost a 2-0 lead in Game 1 before losing. The Golden Knights did the same in Game 2, then lost a 4-0 lead in Game 3 before winning in double overtime. In Game 4, the Hurricanes had two two-goal leads, but lost them before Staal scored in the third period.

Neither team is prepared to throw in the towel. That is why this Final has been so fun. However, it means that if the Golden Knights can get a lead on the road in Game 5, they have to keep their foot on the pedal. Keep it on the pedal until the game clock reads 0:00 in the third period. This series is showing that the best defense is a relentless offense.

Storyline #2 – Winning the Second Period

The Golden Knights have dominated the second period through the first four games of the series. They have outscored the Hurricanes 9-1 in the middle period. It is the period where the magic has happened for the team, from erasing leads to building a 4-0 lead behind Marner’s hat trick.

The second period is difficult. Because teams have to defend the end of the ice furthest from their bench, they can maintain possession in their offensive zone and wear down opposing players. Whether or not that is the exact reason for Vegas’ success in the second period does not matter. What matters is that they are having major success. To regain the lead in the series, the Golden Knights need to continue that second-period surge.

Storyline #3 – The Third Period

If the game ended after the second period, the Golden Knights would be in great shape. Alas, we do play a third period in hockey, and the Hurricanes have dominated the third periods in this series. The Canes are outscoring Vegas 10-3 in the third period.

However, that alone is not the part that is concerning. What is concerning is how the Hurricanes are getting these goals. They are getting them by taking advantage of Vegas’ mistakes. Let’s look at Game 3. The Hurricanes scored two quick goals to cut their deficit to 4-2. The Golden Knights immediately iced the puck after the ensuing faceoff, leading to a third Carolina goal. In Game 5, a Theodore giveaway led to Staal’s go-ahead goal.

The Golden Knights are a strong defensive team, but they have been making uncharacteristic mistakes that are hurting them on the scoreboard. They got away with it in Game 3, but it bit them in Game 4. If they can clean things up for Game 5, they have a good chance of heading back home with a chance to win the Stanley Cup.

How to Watch

Game 5 starts at 5:00 P.M. Pacific Time. It can be viewed on ABC.

Be sure to check back with The Hockey Writers for more coverage as we inch closer and closer to a Stanley Cup champion!