The Vegas Golden Knights open the Stanley Cup Final on the road as they face off with the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 at Lenovo Center on Tuesday, with puck drop set for 5 p.m. PT.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: ABC
Pregame Show: Scripps Sports (Vegas 34 in Vegas; full network) and KnightTime+ at 4 p.m. PT
Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 94.7/1340 | Deportes Vegas 1460
NOTES
Vegas is appearing in the Stanley Cup Final for the third time in franchise history, tied for the most in the NHL since 2017-18.
Mitch Marner leads all skaters in the 2026 playoffs with 21 points (7G, 14A) in 16 games.
Jack Eichel leads all players in assists this postseason with 16, and is second overall with 18 points (2G, 16A).
Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden are tied for the NHL lead in playoff goals with 10 each.
Carter Hart is 12-4 with a 2.22 GAA and .924 save percentage this postseason and has won six consecutive starts.
Shea Theodore leads all remaining players in the 2026 playoffs in blocked shots with 46, and his assist in Game 4 against Colorado tied William Karlsson for second most career playoff points in franchise history with 76 (19G, 57A), behind Mark Stone's 82 (41G, 41A).
Download the Official Vegas Golden Knights Mobile App for updates throughout the postseason, including ticket information, team news, and interactive ways to engage with the Golden Knights throughout the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
WATCH PARTY
The Vegas Golden Knights will host a watch party for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, June 2, at T-Mobile Arena. Tuesday’s party begins at 4:00 p.m. PT, with game time set for 5:00 p.m. PT. The watch party will feature a live DJ, visits from the VGK Cast, tattoo artists, and raffle prizes. Giveaways for all fans include VGK sunglasses, rally towels, and more. Tickets for the official VGK watch party are $5, with proceeds benefitting the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation. Free parking for the event is available at the NYNY parking garage for anyone with a Nevada license. Tickets and more information are available here.
SERIES AT A GLANCE
All times PST
Game 1: Tuesday, June 2, 5 p.m. | Lenovo Center
Game 2: Thursday, June 4, 5 p.m. | Lenovo Center
Game 3: Saturday, June 6, 5 p.m. | T-Mobile Arena | BUY TICKETS
Game 4: Tuesday, June 9, 5 p.m. | T-Mobile Arena | BUY TICKETS
Game 5 (if necessary): Thursday, June 11, 5 p.m. | Lenovo Center
Game 6 (if necessary): Sunday, June 14, 5 p.m. | T-Mobile Arena | BUY TICKETS
*Game 7 (if necessary): Wednesday, June 17, 5 p.m. | Lenovo Center
\*SERIES PREVIEW
The Golden Knights rattled off a 10-game point streak (7-0-3) to end the regular season and win the Pacific Division title with a 39-26-17 record and 95 points. After taking down the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks in six games each, Vegas swept the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche to earn their third Stanley Cup Final appearance in the franchise’s nine-year history. In doing so, the Golden Knights won their 15th playoff series, the most of any club in the NHL since 2017-18. Carolina was also crowned regular-season Metropolitan Division Champions, and boasted the best record in the Eastern Conference, going 53-22-7 with 113 points. The Hurricanes claimed their third division championship in the past five years and are moving on to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since they won it all in 2006. This year’s Stanley Cup Final marks the first time Carolina and Vegas will meet in the postseason.
HOW VEGAS GOT HERE
The Golden Knights opened their 2026 playoff run against the Utah Mammoth, who were making their first postseason appearance since relocating from the Arizona. Vegas won Game 1, dropped the next two to fall behind 2-1 in the series, then notched back-to-back 5-4 overtime wins in Games 4 and 5 to retake the series lead. Jack Eichel led Vegas in the first round with 9 points (1G, 8A), and the Golden Knights closed it out with a dominant 5-1 win in Game 6 in Utah. Carter Hart went 4-2 in net with a 2.72 GAA and .898 save percentage in the series.
The Golden Knights took down the Anaheim Ducks in six games in Round 2. Vegas won Game 1 before dropping Game 2, then Mitch Marner recorded a natural hat trick and four points in a 6-2 Game 3 blowout to put Vegas ahead. After Anaheim evened it with a Game 4 win, Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice, including an overtime winner in Game 5, before Vegas closed it out 5-1 victory in Game 6. Marner finished with 11 points (5G, 6A) to pace the offense, while Hart posted a 1.99 GAA and .935 save percentage in the series.
The Golden Knights swept the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final, defeating the Presidents' Trophy winners. Vegas opened the series on the road, taking a staggering 2-0 series lead after a 4-2 win in Game 1 and 3-1 win in Game 2. After falling behind 3-0 in Game 3, Vegas erased the deficit and won 5-3 to push Colorado to the brink. In Game 4, Stone opened the scoring with a goal less than five minutes into the game to give Vegas an early 1-0 lead. After a scoreless second period, Cole Smith notched his third goal of the postseason late in the final frame to give the Golden Knights a 2-0 edge. Landeskog got the Avalanche on the board with two minutes remaining in regulation, but Carter Hart stood tall, stopping 20-of-21 shots to secure the series sweep for Vegas. Seven Golden Knights logged at least three points in the series, and Marner leads the entire NHL playoffs with 21 points (7G, 14A) through three rounds, while Hart won all four games with a .944 save percentage.
HOW CAROLINA GOT HERE
The Hurricanes swept the Ottawa Senators in four games in Round 1 behind dominant two-way play. Logan Stankoven scored the opening goal in each of the first three games, and Frederik Andersen posted a shutout in the opener. Carolina needed double overtime to win Game 2 but otherwise controlled the series. Taylor Hall led the Hurricanes with seven-points (2G, 5A), and Andersen earned all four wins behind a .955 save percentage.
The Hurricanes swept the Philadelphia Flyers in four games in Round 2 to win their first eight playoff games, the second team in NHL history to do so. Hall scored the overtime winner in Game 2 and Jackson Blake did the same in Game 4 to close it out. Andersen was 8-0 with a 1.12 GAA and .950 save percentage through the first two rounds.
The Hurricanes outlasted the Montreal Canadiens in five games in the Eastern Conference Final. After dropping Game 1, Carolina won four straight, scoring 10 goals across Games 4 and 5, to return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006. Hall led the team with 16 points (5G, 11A) in 13 games. Andersen finished the three rounds with a 12-1 record with a 1.41 GAA and .931 save percentage.
REGULAR SERIES RECAP
Vegas went 2-0-0 against Carolina in the regular season, outscoring the Hurricanes 10-4 across two meetings. The first came on Oct. 20, 2025, at T-Mobile Arena, where Jack Eichel, Pavel Dorofeyev, Ivan Barbashev and William Karlsson all scored in a 4-1 win. Sebastian Aho provided the lone Carolina response, and Akira Schmid stopped 22 shots in relief to earn the win. The rematch came eight days later at Lenovo Center in a back-and-forth affair. Dorofeyev scored twice in the first period to give Vegas the early lead, but Carolina answered back and took a 3-2 lead on a Logan Stankoven goal early in the third. Brett Howden tied it before Eichel took over late, scoring twice in the final five minutes off feeds from Barbashev to put the game away. Tomas Hertl added an empty-netter to round out the 6-3 final, with Eichel recording a multi-point night.
VGK PLAYOFF SCORING LEADERS
Mitch Marner – 21 points (7G, 14A)
Jack Eichel – 18 points (2G, 16A)
Pavel Dorofeyev – 14 points (10G, 4A)
Ivan Barbashev – 12 points (5G, 7A)
Brett Howden – 12 points (10G, 2A)
CAR PLAYOFF SCORING LEADERS
Taylor Hall – 16 points (5G, 11A)
Jackson Blake – 15 points (5G, 10A)
Logan Stankoven – 12 points (9G, 3A)
Nikolaj Ehlers – 9 points (4G, 5A)
KEYS TO THE GAME
Silence the Building Early: Carolina has gone 7-1 at home this postseason. Vegas has been a strong road team throughout this run, but getting on the board first in Game 1 could be essential. The Golden Knights have shown they can win games multiple ways, but neutralizing the Lenovo Center crowd early gives them the best chance to dictate the pace and play their game from start to finish.
Stars on the Biggest Stage: The two top producers in the playoffs have been the Golden Knights, as Mitch Marner leads all skaters with 21 points (7G, 14A) and Jack Eichel is right behind him with 18 points (2G, 16A) through 16 GP. Carolina has been one of the stingiest defensive teams in the postseason, but not faced as hot of an offense as Vegas. If Marner and Eichel continue to produce at the level they have all spring, the Golden Knights will be very difficult to slow down.
