Hurricanes’ comeback in Game 3 falls short, effort fuels belief

LAS VEGAS -- To Rod Brind’Amour, it did not matter that the Carolina Hurricanes nearly pulled off the most epic comeback in Stanley Cup Final history.

For the Carolina coach, the end result is all that counts.

Despite battling back from a four-goal, third-period deficit, the Hurricanes ultimately fell 5-4 in double overtime to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday. They trail the best-of-7 series 2-1.

Game 4 is here Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, SN, TVAS, CBC).

“At least we made a game of it,” Brind’Amour said. “You get no moral victories at this time of year, it’s irrelevant to be honest. We have to regroup and we know going into this, you’re not going to win, it was a little like the first game, where it was too many not smart plays and they made us pay.”

Erasing the four-goal deficit was the largest third-period playoff comeback since the Los Angeles Kings battled back from down 5-0 against the Edmonton Oilers in the 1982 playoffs, dubbed the ‘Miracle on Manchester.’ The Forum, where the game was played, is located on Manchester Avenue. 

On that occasion, the Kings went on to win 6-5 in overtime on a goal from forward Daryl Evans, who is now the well-dressed Los Angeles analyst. 

This time, the Hurricanes were unable to complete the comeback. 

Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore was credited with the double-overtime winner at 5:38, when his shot bounced off the end boards and into the net off goalie Brandon Bussi. 

“I knew we were going to get going eventually, and that we could get back in the game and give us a chance to win,” Brind’Amour said. “But you can’t have those mistakes in the second period at this time of the year.” 

The Hurricanes conceded four goals in a span of 6:26 in the second period to fall behind 4-0.

This was after Carolina was successful on two coach’s challenges, wiping out a Mark Stone goal 34 seconds in for offside, and a goal from Jack Eichel at 4:00 for goalie interference. 

Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen was replaced by Bussi to start the third, and stopped forward Mitch Marner on a penalty shot at 4:04 of the period to keep the deficit at four goals. 

“We’ve been in games where we haven’t played well and we always find a way to dig ourselves out. Always,” Brind’Amour said. “That kind of happened here again tonight. We just dug a little too big a hole there.” 

Bussi’s save on Marner gave the Hurricanes a lift in the third period.

When forward Jordan Martinook scored at 7:03, getting to a loose puck in front and sliding it in underneath Golden Knights goalie Carter Hart, it gave the Hurricanes some life. 

Just 26 seconds later, Taylor Hall cut the deficit to 4-2 when he converted a centering pass from Sebastian Aho, getting everyone’s attention. 

Jordan Staal then made it 4-3, 13 seconds after that, tipping in a shot from Jaccob Slavin to make things interesting. Staal's goal capped a three-goal, 39-second Carolina run -- the fastest consecutive three goals scored in Cup Final history. 

Andrei Svechnikov scored the game-tying goal at 18:18. On the power play with Bussi pulled for the extra attacker, the Hurricanes capitalized on a wild scramble in front to extend the game.  

“I’m proud of the group,” Staal said. “It was a heck of an effort from everyone, contributing and grinding and finding ways and giving us a chance, a shot. Obviously, the way it finished (stinks), but we’ll look at some things we can do better and not give ourselves a 4-0 hole and go from there.”

Things unraveled so quickly for the Hurricanes in the second period that there was a look of disbelief on the bench while they waited for the hats to be picked up following Marner's hat trick-sealing goal at 16:52. 

It all started with a Carolina penalty for too many men on the ice at 10:16, which Vegas forward Tomas Hertl converted into the opening goal 10 seconds into the power play. 

Defenseman Sean Walker then tipped the puck into his own net on a Marner centering pass at 10:42 to put Carolina down 2-0. Marner scored again at 14:32, on a breakaway to give the Golden Knights a 3-0 lead, before he blew a shot past Andersen off the right wing 2:20 later for the 4-0 lead. 

“We had too many turnovers, and we were not trusting in just playing in their end and grinding them down and doing what we did in the first,” Staal said. “We kind of got 'laxed' a little bit and they’re a good team. They have some high-end talent, and they’re going to make some good plays and make moves, and we can’t be taking any shifts off against that team.” 

Despite the heartbreaking nature of the loss, a win in Game 4 would give the Hurricanes the opportunity to return home with the series tied. The third-period comeback could give them something to build on heading into the contest. 

“I feel like that’s something we take a lot of pride in,” Martinook said. “You’re not out of a game ever, and we proved that. We just have to stop putting ourselves in these positions to have to come back. We need to be the aggressor in some of these games.”