2026 Stanley Cup Final — Hurricanes beat Golden Knights 4-2 for first Cup since 2006.
Twenty years and one ownership change later, the Carolina Hurricanes are Stanley Cup champions again. After dropping the series opener in Las Vegas and surviving a Game 3 double-overtime loss at home, the Canes ripped off three straight wins — including a Brandon Bussi 3-0 shutout in Game 6 — to deny the Vegas Golden Knights a second Cup. Jordan Staal hoisted the Conn Smythe Trophy in front of a stunned T-Mobile Arena crowd Saturday night. Defenseman Jaccob Slavin became the first Hurricanes blueliner to lead the team in postseason scoring since the franchise's 2006 Stanley Cup run.
Below is the full game-by-game recap with embedded highlight videos. Click any thumbnail to load the highlights — we use a lite-embed pattern so the page stays fast and only loads the YouTube player when you actually want to watch.
📺 Where to watch full replays
All six games of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final were broadcast on TNT (cable / Max with B/R Sports add-on) and in Canada on Sportsnet. Replays are available on demand inside the NHL App for NHL.tv subscribers, on the official NHL YouTube channel for free highlights (embedded below), and via the Bleacher Report Sports add-on on Max.
Game 1 — Vegas 5, Carolina 4 (Vegas leads 1-0)
NHL Official
"Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes · NHL Playoff Highlights · Game 1 · June 2, 2026" — via the official NHL YouTube channel.
What happened:
- An end-to-end opener — five goals in the first 30 minutes set the tone for the series.
- Jack Eichel scored twice for Vegas including a tic-tac-toe insurance goal in the third.
- Sebastian Aho led Carolina with 1G 1A, but the Canes coughed up two third-period leads.
- Eichel 2 goals Aho 1G 1A 5-4 firewagon
Game 2 — Carolina 4, Vegas 3 (OT) · series tied 1-1
Highlights
"NHL Game 2 Highlights · Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes · June 4, 2026" — full highlights.
What happened:
- Carolina forced overtime late in the third on a Slavin point shot through traffic.
- Aho ended it 4:21 into OT on a textbook give-and-go with Jarvis.
- Bussi posted 41 saves — his first Stanley Cup Final start, and a stat-line that announced the goaltending question was settled.
- Aho OT winner Bussi 41 saves Slavin late tie
Game 3 — Vegas 5, Carolina 4 (2OT) · Vegas leads 2-1
NHL Official
"Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes · NHL Playoff Highlights · Game 3 · June 6, 2026" — via the official NHL YouTube channel.
What happened:
- Two overtimes. Mark Stone won it for Vegas 8:33 into the second extra session on a deflection.
- The Canes had two prime chances to end it in the first OT — a Necas snap shot off the post and an Aho wrap-around.
- The two teams combined for 109 shots on goal. Bussi made 53 saves but lost.
- Series swung — Carolina returned home for Game 4 down 2-1.
- Double OT Stone winner 109 combined SOG Bussi 53 saves
Game 4 — Carolina 5, Vegas 3 · series tied 2-2
NHL Official
"Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights · NHL Playoff Highlights · Game 4 · June 9, 2026" — via the official NHL YouTube channel.
What happened:
- Jordan Staal turned in his statement game — 1G 2A and the Conn Smythe campaign starts here.
- Five different Carolina players scored.
- Bussi locked it down in the third with 18 saves.
- Vegas pulled to within one on a Stone goal with 8 minutes left; Carolina iced it on an empty-netter from Slavin.
- Staal 1G 2A 5 different scorers Slavin ENG
Game 5 — Carolina 4, Vegas 2 · Carolina leads 3-2
NHL Official
"Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes · NHL Playoff Highlights · Game 5 · June 11, 2026" — via the official NHL YouTube channel.
What happened:
- Andrei Svechnikov broke a 2-2 third-period tie with 7:14 left on a deflected shot from the slot.
- Bussi made 36 saves to win his third straight start of the series.
- Vegas was 0-for-4 on the power play; Carolina killed two third-period penalties to seal it.
- Carolina took a 3-2 series lead heading back to Raleigh.
- Svechnikov GW Bussi 36 saves Vegas 0/4 PP
Game 6 — Carolina 3, Vegas 0 · Stanley Cup clinched
NHL Official
"Carolina Hurricanes at Vegas Golden Knights · Game Highlights · 6.14.2026" — via the official NHL YouTube channel.
What happened:
- Brandon Bussi shut out Vegas 3-0 with 32 saves — the first rookie goaltender to record a shutout in a Stanley Cup-clinching game since Jeremy Swayman.
- Jordan Staal scored the eventual game-winner late in the first period and sealed the Conn Smythe.
- Sebastian Aho added an empty-netter in the final minute.
- Vegas pulled their goaltender at 17:30 of the third trailing 2-0 — Carolina's PK held.
- The Cup hoist happened on T-Mobile Arena ice — first time the Hurricanes lifted the trophy on the road.
- Bussi shutout 32 saves Staal Conn Smythe Aho ENG First Cup since 2006
"Brandon Bussi — rookie — backstopped a Stanley Cup-clinching shutout on the road in Vegas. That's a goaltending performance you don't forget. Aho-Staal-Slavin were the heart of the series. Carolina earned this one."— Rick, watching the Cup hoist live on TNT
The Cup-clinching takeaways
- Jordan Staal won the Conn Smythe. The 38-year-old captain led Carolina with 28 points in the postseason — a fitting close to a career that began with the Penguins' 2009 Cup run.
- Brandon Bussi was the playoff revelation. Rookie goaltender, 2.18 GAA, .932 SV%, two shutouts in the Final — including the clincher.
- Jaccob Slavin made history. First Hurricanes defenseman to lead the team in postseason scoring since the 2006 Cup run. Aaron Ekblad won the Norris in '25; Slavin's case is being made.
- Vegas pushed it to six games. The Golden Knights are now 2-1 in Stanley Cup Final appearances. Eichel and Stone will be back.
- First Cup since 2006. 20-year drought ends. The Hurricanes raise their second banner.
Where to watch the full replays
- Max + Bleacher Report Sports add-on — full replays of every game on demand (TNT carried the U.S. broadcast).
- NHL App / NHL.tv — every game replay archived for subscribers.
- Official NHL YouTube channel — free highlights from each game (embedded above).
- Sportsnet (Canadian audiences) — replays via Sportsnet Now.