Golden Knights most to blame for Stanley Cup Final Game 5 loss to Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes are on the precipice of winning their first Stanley Cup in 20 years. They had their most convincing victory of the Stanley Cup Final as they defeated the Vegas Golden Knights by a 4-2 margin in Game 5 at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh.

The game did not follow the usual pattern because the Golden Knights played fairly well in the first period and left the ice after 20 minutes with the score tied at 1-1. However, the Hurricanes dominated in the second period by taking a 3-1 lead on goals by the previously dormant Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho while the VGK was unable to find the back of the net behind Brandon Bussi.

The Hurricanes basically put the game away at the midway point of the third period when Svechnikov scored on the power play as he had time and space on a net-front play to put the puck by the vulnerable Carter Hart. This time, a three-goal margin was too much for the trailing team to overcome.

The Hurricanes played with greater energy throughout the game played in front of their adoring and hopeful fans. The reason Carolina made it to the Stanley Cup Final is that their speed, quickness and forecheck have gotten the best of three opponents in the postseason, and all of those were on display in Game 5 against the VGK.

While the Hurricanes found their game, the Golden Knights are still waiting for their best player to find the back of the net. Jack Eichel is playing with maximum effort and he assisted on both of Pavel Dorofeyev’s goals, but he has not scored a goal against the Hurricanes. That’s especially notable since Carolina captain Jordan Staal has been unstoppable and has scored six times in the five games.

Hart has not been as sharp in the SCF for the Golden Knights

Carter Hart was one of the leading candidates for the Conn Smythe Trophy at the start of the Stanley Cup Final. The Golden Knights were coming off a sweep of the explosive Colorado Avalanche and Hart had held them to seven goals in four games.

He was razor sharp against Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, and he came into the series against Carolina as a rested goaltender who should have been at the top of his game. That has not been anything close to the case as he has allowed four goals in every game of the series.

Whenever the Golden Knights have been able to get a lead in the series, Hart has allowed the Hurricanes to get back in the game. He has been shaky since the VGK’s 5-4 double overtime win in Game 3 when a 4-0 lead disappeared in the third period. The Golden Knights survived that game on a fluky goal, but they have not been the same in the two Carolina victories that followed.

Hart was badly outplayed by Bussi in the pivotal Game 5. It’s tough to blame him on the individual goals in that game, but he needed to come up with a stop on Staal’s tip-in goal from distance that tied the game at 1-1 in the first period.

Svechnikov’s first goal of the game came on a snap shot with the man advantage, and Hart apparently did not see it. He should have been able to stop that shot and keep the score tied.

No goalie in Stanley Cup Final history had ever allowed 4 goals in each of the first four games, and now Hart has done it five times. Head coach John Tortorella appears to be growing weary with his team’s performance, and he told the assembled media that he has no interest in replacing Hart with backup Adin Hill. “Oh, Christ,” said the rambunctious coach. That could be the stupidest question I’ve heard.”

Perhaps that’s something he should consider before Sunday night’s Game 6 in Las Vegas.

Marner was hard to spot in Game 5

The Golden Knights have gotten a lift from Mitch Marner throughout their 21-game run in the Stanley Cup playoff. He is the leading scorer in the playoffs with 10 goals and 19 assists for 29 points. He was at his best in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final when he scored the fastest hat trick in SCF history during a 6:10 span in the second period.

It looked like the Hurricanes could not stop Marner as he also had an assist in that game for a four-point effort. However, he has not been the same player in either of the two games that have followed. He had an assist in the Game 4 loss, but he did not have a shot on goal in that game and finished with a minus-1 rating.

Marner was scoreless in Game 5 and he was hard to spot on the ice during the run of the game. He had one insignificant shot on goal and did not truly influence the outcome during his 21:38 on the ice.

The Golden Knights are on the brink of losing the Stanley Cup Final. Their goaltender has lost his mojo, and their most explosive player has had a couple of poor games in a row. Additionally, their tightly wound head coach is also feeling the pressure as the Golden Knights face a win or go home scenario.

Game 6 will require a much better effort from the VGK as the Hurricanes attempt to hoist the Stanley Cup in Sin City.

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