Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart extends dreadful Stanley Cup history with Game 5 nightmare

After evening the Stanley Cup Final at two games apiece, the Vegas Golden Knights lost 4-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 at Lenovo Center and fell into a 3-2 series deficit.

The defeat brought more unwanted history for goaltender Carter Hart. He earlier became the first goalie in Stanley Cup Final history to allow at least four goals in each of the first four games of a Final, and surrendered four goals again in Game 5. That made him the first netminder ever to concede four or more goals in each of the first five games of a Stanley Cup Final. Hart finished with 20 saves.

Vegas struck first at 6:52 of the opening period when Pavel Dorofeyev converted a power-play opportunity. Jack Eichel carried the puck into the offensive zone and found Dorofeyev across the slot for the game’s first goal. Carolina answered later in the period as Jordan Staal tied the contest 1-1, extending his scoring streak in the Final to five consecutive games.

The second period proved to be game-changing. After the Golden Knights had owned that frame throughout much of the series, outscoring the Hurricanes 9-1 in the second period entering Game 5, Carolina reversed the trend. Andrei Svechnikov scored on the power play to give the Hurricanes their first lead, and Sebastian Aho followed with his first goal of the series less than five minutes later to make it 3-1. Aho’s tally came after a setup from Sean Walker, while a forecheck battle won by Jordan Martinook helped create the opportunity.

Svechnikov added another power-play goal in the third period for a 4-1 advantage. The winger entered the game with four postseason goals and finished with two goals on the night. Nikolaj Ehlers recorded three assists, including the setup on Svechnikov’s second goal.

Dorofeyev scored again later in the third period, finishing with both Vegas goals. His second tally came off a pass from Shea Theodore, but the Golden Knights could get no closer.

Vegas will now return to T-Mobile Arena for Game 6 on Sunday needing a win to keep its championship hopes alive and force a winner-take-all Game 7 back in Carolina.

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