Hurricanes starting goalie for Game 4 of Stanley Cup Final debated by NHL.com

Who will start in goal for the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, incumbent Frederik Andersen or backup Brandon Bussi?

The biggest decision of the 2026 postseason could influence the rest of this best-of-7 series, which continues at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, SN, CBC, TVAS) with the Vegas Golden Knights holding a 2-1 series lead.

That lead came courtesy of a 5-4 double-overtime win by the Golden Knights on Saturday in which Andersen was pulled after allowing four goals on 14 shots in the second period and finishing with 12 saves.

Bussi entered to start the third, a period in which the Hurricanes rallied for four-straight goals to force overtime. Bussi stopped the first 18 shots he faced, including a penalty shot by Mitch Marner in the third period before Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore won the game at 5:38 of the second overtime, banking a shot off the end boards and then off the body of Bussi, who was making his postseason debut.

Andersen has started each of the first 16 games of these playoffs.

Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour says he knows who is playing in Game 4, but he wasn’t spilling the beans Monday.

“That's the only suspenseful thing around here that I have to hold on to,” Brind’Amour said Monday after a practice in which Andersen was given a maintenance day. “It seems to have taken on a life of its own, so I kind of enjoy it.”

Well, with the coach not ready to tell the world what he thinks, we asked seven NHL.com writers which goalie they would pick for the biggest game of the Hurricanes’ season.

Not surprisingly, it was a hung jury.

Frederik Andersen

The veteran got the Hurricanes to this point. To me, it doesn’t make sense to change goalies unless he’s hurt or worn down, and neither appears to be the case. Brind’Amour said Andersen was fine after taking a hit to the head in Game 3. Andersen had the day off Sunday and didn’t practice Monday, so he should be fresh. Bussi has played part of one game in the playoffs. Would Carolina be putting him -- and by extension, the team -- in the best position to succeed by starting him in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final facing a 2-1 deficit? I don’t think so. -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

This is not a case of the Hurricanes needing a spark. They need to play better in front of Andersen and cut down on the breakaways and odd-man rushes the Golden Knights have been getting. Vegas has taken advantage of Carolina’s defensemen pressuring in the offensive zone by making passes to forwards behind them for breaks. If the Hurricanes can cut down on those chances, as they did after the Montreal Canadiens had similar success in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final, Andersen will be fine. His game fits well into their structure when they’re playing it well. -- Tom Gulitti, senior writer

I’ve always been of the opinion of staying with the goalie that got you there for as long as possible. So, the Hurricanes should stick with Frederik Andersen in Game 4. A goalie change at this point seems like a desperate move and it’s not desperate times for the Hurricanes trailing 2-1 in the best-of-7 series. If they fall behind 3-1, then things would become desperate, and a goalie change might be warranted. Keeping Andersen in goal for Game 4 sends a message to the rest of the team that it’s not time to panic. -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

Brandon Bussi

This is so, so hard because I normally would go with the guy that got you here. But, in part to be different, I’m going with Bussi. Look at how he handled getting the nod in the third period. He’s dealing with a penalty shot right out of the gate from a player that already had a natural hat trick. He’s facing a Golden Knights team determined to try and extend a 4-0 lead, then getting some quality shots on him in overtime after the Hurricanes rallied in the third. If not for a fluky bounce off the boards and then off him, we may still be watching Game 3. So, it’s Bussi time for me. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

The Hurricanes can talk all they want about being two or three shots away from being up 3-0 in the series, but the reality is they are down 2-1 and the main reason they were able to get to overtime in Game 3 was because of Bussi. Andersen was great in the first three rounds, but has been pedestrian at best in the Final, with a .815 save percentage and 4.44 goals-against average. I’d make the change now before it’s too late. –- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief

It’s time for the element of surprise. Look, the Golden Knights are pretty dialed in on Andersen. They had a week of pre-scouting him before the Final started and identified weaknesses and tendencies in his game. He has allowed 12 goals in the first three games of this series after allowing five in the final four games against the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Final. That’s not sustainable. Vegas doesn’t have as detailed a book on Bussi, who made his first postseason appearance in Game 3. It will take time for Vegas to figure out how to break him down, especially because he is a rare left-handed goalie. -– Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

Bussi proved he is ready for the moment with his Game 3 performance. He should get the start here. I know it’s been Andersen’s net for the entire playoff run, but that is irrelevant now. The Hurricanes need a win and they should go with the goalie that is fresher and is not potentially shell-shocked. Let’s not forget, Andersen had six pucks go past him in the second period of Game 3. There were two disallowed goals in the first four minutes before he gave up four in 6:26. Bussi delivered when the Hurricanes needed him most. You can’t pin the overtime goal on him. He’s ready for the moment. Give it to him. -– Dan Rosen, senior writer