16x9 25-26 Playoffs Lead SCF G6

LAS VEGAS - The Carolina Hurricanes will look to lift Lord Stanley's Cup for the second time in franchise history in Game 6 against the Vegas Golden Knights.

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When: Sunday, June 14

Puck Drop: 8:00 p.m. ET

Watch: ABC; Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports | Watch Parties

Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes App

Series: 3-2 CAR

Gameday Central

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The Series So Far...

  • Game 1: Nikolaj Ehlers got the Canes off to a flying start, but Tomas Hertl's late go-ahead goal gave the Golden Knights the first win of the Final.
  • Game 2Seth Jarvis played hero in overtime to cap off a multi-goal comeback and even the series with a 4-3 victory.
  • Game 3: Carolina became just the second team in Stanley Cup Final history to crawl out of a 4-0 hole, but Vegas ultimately took the contest 5-4 in double overtime.
  • Game 4Jordan Staal scored twice, and Brandon Bussi impressed as the Canes picked up another series-splitting win at T-Mobile Arena, 5-3.
  • Game 5: Thanks to two power play goals from Andrei Svechikov and three assists from Nikolaj Ehlers, the Canes earned their first series lead with a 4-2 victory.

Eyes On The Prize...

  • Having taken their first lead of the series with a rousing Game 5 victory on home ice, the Canes head back to the desert eager to finish the job. Through the excitement, though, they remain focused on the task at hand.
  • "It's pretty crazy. But it's one win away," said Sean Walker. "We'll just go into Vegas with the same mindset that we've had all playoffs, play our game, and hopefully get the result we want."
  • Carolina will look to become the sixth team in Stanley Cup Final history — and first in more than a decade — to fall behind 2-1 and win three straight games to claim the Cup. A win on Sunday would put them on a list that includes the 2015 Blackhawks (vs. TBL), 2013 Blackhawks (vs. BOS), 1991 Penguins (vs. MNS), 1989 Flames (vs. MTL) and 1966 Canadiens (vs. DET).
  • "(The fourth win is) the hardest one, and we talk about this all the time," said Rod Brind'Amour. "You have a team that you're playing that knows how to win, and has done it, and we know that they're not going away... You've still got to play your best game if you expect to have a chance to win, and that's really the focus."

Staal's Streak...

  • Jordan Staal continues to "do it all" for the Canes and matched the longest goal streak in Stanley Cup Final history when he scored for the fifth straight game on Thursday. No player has ever scored goals in six consecutive contests during a single Stanley Cup Final.
  • The captain's six goals are tied for the third-most through the first five games of any Stanley Cup Final, trailing only Wayne Gretzky (7, 1985) and Jean Béliveau (7, 1956).

Powered Up...

  • Carolina's power play has come to life at the perfect time, posting man-advantage markers in four straight games (6-for-14 in that span) to help the team to three victories.
  • At the forefront of that push is Andrei Svechnikov, whose three goals in the Final have all come on the power play. Now with eight career playoff power-play goals following his two tucks on Thursday, Svechnikov is on level terms with Rod Brind'Amour and Seth Jarvis for the third-most in franchise history.

In Net...

  • Rod Brind'Amour insists that "everybody is available" throughout his lineup, leaving all options on the table for tonight's starter. He did, however, suggest that he and his staff will "probably not do too many changes to the lineup" when speaking to the media on Friday, leaving the impression that Brandon Bussi may be in line for a third straight start.
  • Bussi was superb once again in Game 5, stopping 23 of 25 shots to become the first goalie in NHL history to make his first two playoff starts in the Stanley Cup Final and win both contests.
  • Frederik Andersen was listed as a scratch for Games 4 and 5 after starting each of the team's 16 postseason games to that point. Brind'Amour says that Andersen's absence even from the bench is designed to give the veteran as much of a break as he can get. "From my standpoint, if I'm not going to play Freddie, I don't really want him backing up, necessarily," he said. "If you're not going to start him, you want to give him as much mental and physical rest as possible."
  • Pyotr Kochetkov backed up Bussi in Games 4 and 5, his first times being dressed for NHL action since Dec. 20. Initially expected to be done for the season, he worked his way back from lower-body surgery and was set to start the team's regular-season finale on Long Island on Apr. 14, until a "roster technicality" prevented that. He made a few rehab appearances with Chicago (AHL) prior.

On The Other Side...

  • After dropping consecutive contests for the first time since Round 1 of the playoffs, the Golden Knights head home with their backs against the wall. At the same time, though, one win puts them on the precipice of victory alongside the Canes, and they'll feel good about their odds of pulling that off on home ice.
  • "We're just going to get ready for our next game. We'll be back here," said a defiant Tortorella following his team's loss in Game 5, before doubling down on his Game 7 guarantee: "I'm going to leave my clothes here, that's for sure. They'll be in the hotel."
  • Pavel Dorofeyev was a bright spot in Thursday's defeat, notching his first two goals since Game 1 of the Western Conference Final. Coming off a team-leading 37 tallies in the regular season, including three in two games against the Canes, the 25-year-old getting back on track could help revive the Golden Knights' scuffling power play, which has gone 2-for-15 in the series.
  • Allowing four goals for the fifth straight game to open the Final — an NHL first — Carter Hart's play continues to draw questions from the media. But Tortorella is having none of it, backing his starter and dismissing the notion that he'd turn to Adin Hill as possibly "the stupidest question I've heard."

Injury Updates...

  • The Canes have no injuries to report at this time.

What Are We Wearing?

  • The Canes will wear their WHITE uniforms for the contest. They will wear black for every home game and white for every road game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

What's Next After This Game?

  • If the Canes win, they'll celebrate the summer with the Stanley Cup. Information regarding celebration details will be shared in the coming days.
  • If the Canes lose, they'll fly back to Raleigh on Monday, practice on Tuesday, and go at it one final time in Game 7 on Wednesday.
  • Next Game (if necessary): Wednesday, June 17 | SCF, Game 7 vs. Vegas | 8:00 p.m. ET | How To Watch | Tickets | Parking