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The Live Sport Bible is here!Theodore works late-Knight shift in Stanley Cup Final
Mark Anderson • June 7th, 2026 5:45 pm
The Golden Knights needed double overtime to beat the Carolina Hurricanes in Las Vegas | Photo: AP
The Vegas Golden Knights have avoided a potentially devastating loss, blowing a four-goal lead before beating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 for a 2-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final.
Shea Theodore's goal at 5:38 in the second overtime period went in off goalie Brandon Bussi's skate on Saturday night (Sunday NZ Time).
Theodore's clincher came long after teammate Mitch Marner scored the fastest hat-trick in Stanley Cup Final history.
Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner scored a stunning hat-trick against the Carolina Hurricanes | Photo: AP
The teams meet again in Game 4 on Tuesday night (Wednesday NZT) in Las Vegas. Teams that have taken a 2-1 series lead in the final have gone on to win the Cup 46 of 57 times.
Carolina had been 6-0 in overtime this post-season. The Hurricanes were trying to become the first team to win after trailing by at least four goals in the third period, but now clubs in that situation are 0-109.
"We just left our foot off the gas," Theodore said on the ABC broadcast.
"I think we have to be sharper in the third, but I liked the resiliency out of our group. I liked the way we started that second overtime, and I felt like we were more on our toes."
This was the 10th time the first three games of a Cup final have been decided by a point. The last time was in 2016 between Pittsburgh and San Jose.
The Golden Knights seemed to have it in hand after scoring four times in the second, including a hat-trick by Marner.
But Jordan Martinook, Taylor Hall and Jordan Staal scored goals for the Hurricanes. Their goals, occurring 39 seconds apart, are the fastest in a Cup Final game.
Andrei Svechnikov jammed in a puck on a six-on-four power play with 1:42 left to force overtime.
Marner's scoring outburst came over a 6:10 stretch of the second period, and he had four points in the period. He also had the secondary assist on Tomas Hertl's goal midway through the period.
The last time a player had four points in a period of the Cup Final was in 1919 when Frank Foyston of the Seattle Metropolitans pulled off that feat.
Marner nearly added to the total in the third period, but failed to capitalise on a breakaway and a penalty shot. Those missed chances came back to bite the Golden Knights.
The Hurricanes made the comeback after changing goalies to open the third, going with Bussi, who made 18 saves. Frederik Andersen had given up those four goals on 16 shots.
Carolina also rallied without forward and former Golden Knight William Carrier, who had an upper-body injury in the second period.
- AP
