The Carolina Hurricanes are one win from the Stanley Cup. Carolina beat Vegas 4-2 in Game 5 at Lenovo Center on Thursday night, taking a 3-2 series lead behind two Andrei Svechnikov power-play goals, Jordan Staal’s sixth goal of the series, and another composed start from rookie Brandon Bussi (21 of 23). Game 6 is Sunday June 14 in Las Vegas, where the Canes can clinch the franchise’s second championship and first since 2006.
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Final score and box-score notes
- Final: Carolina Hurricanes 4, Vegas Golden Knights 2
- Venue: Lenovo Center, Raleigh
- Hurricanes goals: Staal (1st), Svechnikov (PP, 2nd), Aho (2nd), Svechnikov (PP, 3rd)
- Golden Knights goals: Dorofeyev 2 (one PP)
- Goaltender: Bussi (Carolina) stopped 21 of 23; he is now 2-0 since taking the net
- Special teams: Carolina 2-for-4 on the power play; the difference in the game
- Series: Carolina leads 3-2
What happened
For once, Carolina started like the home team. Staal opened the scoring midway through the first, his sixth goal of the series and a goal in five straight Final games, and after Dorofeyev answered on the Vegas power play, the Canes took the game over in the second. Svechnikov hammered home the go-ahead goal on the man advantage, and Aho made it 3-1 with just over two minutes left in the period.
Dorofeyev pulled Vegas within one midway through the third, but Svechnikov’s second power-play strike restored the two-goal cushion, and Bussi closed the door from there. The rookie is now 2-0 with a composed .913 stretch since Rod Brind’Amour handed him the net, and the goaltending question that haunted this series has flipped into a Carolina strength.
How our Game 5 best bets did: 4-0
- Carolina ML -154: ✅ WIN. The home start we asked for finally came, and the Canes never trailed.
- Under 6.5 (-135): ✅ WIN. Exactly 6 goals; the first under-the-number result of the series.
- Staal anytime goal (+250): ✅ WIN. Five straight Final games with a goal. The captain is on a legendary run.
- Dorofeyev anytime goal (+200): ✅ WIN. He scored both Vegas goals. The hedge cashed alongside the sweep.
A clean 4-0 card on the biggest game of the season. The series card overall: Game 4 went 2-0 with a void; Game 5 went 4-0.
Cup Futures and Conn Smythe After Game 5
| Market | Post-G4 | Post-G5 (today) |
|---|---|---|
| Carolina to win Cup | -125 | -350 |
| Vegas to win Cup | +105 | +280 |
| Staal Conn Smythe | +600 | +200 |
| Aho Conn Smythe | +450 | +400 |
| Marner Conn Smythe (VGK) | +300 | +700 |
| Bussi Conn Smythe | +2500 | +900 |
Staal, with six goals in five Final games, has gone from sentimental longshot to Conn Smythe favorite. A Cup-clinching Game 6 likely seals it.
Game 6: Sunday in Vegas, Cup on the Line
Game 6 is Sunday June 14 at T-Mobile Arena, 8 PM ET on ABC. Carolina gets three chances to lift the Cup, but no team wants to give this Vegas group life. Two angles to watch:
- Vegas at home facing elimination: the Knights are 0-2 at T-Mobile Arena this series. The building has not been the fortress it was in their 2023 run.
- Carolina’s power play travels: 2-for-4 in Game 5 and humming since Game 2. In a tight elimination game, special teams have decided this series’ margins.
Expect Vegas to open as a slim home favorite or pick’em, with the total back at 5.5-6.5. The Canes’ clinch-night markets (Cup winner props, Conn Smythe specials) will be everywhere at NC books this weekend.
Where to Bet Game 6 From North Carolina
All eight NC-licensed mobile sportsbooks are pricing Game 6, the Cup clinch, and Conn Smythe markets. FanDuel is running the largest guaranteed welcome offer in the state right now: “Get $350 in Bonus Bets Guaranteed” (bet $5 for 7 days, $350 in bonus bets regardless of result), and leads the NC market on Same Game Parlay pricing for NHL.
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Compare all eight operators at our NC sportsbooks comparison, or revisit the Game 5 preview and Game 4 recap.
Series schedule
| Game | Date | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| G1 | Tue Jun 2 | Carolina | VGK 5, CAR 4 |
| G2 | Thu Jun 4 | Carolina | CAR 4, VGK 3 (OT) |
| G3 | Sat Jun 6 | Vegas | VGK 5, CAR 4 (2OT) |
| G4 | Tue Jun 9 | Vegas | CAR 5, VGK 3 |
| G5 | Thu Jun 11 | Carolina | CAR 4, VGK 2 |
| G6 | Sun Jun 14 | Vegas (T-Mobile Arena) | 8 PM ET ABC · CAR can clinch |
| G7 * | Wed Jun 17 | Carolina | If necessary |
* If necessary.
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