The Carolina Hurricanes scored twice in the first 3:30 and held on for a 5-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 on Monday, evening the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at two games apiece.
Carolina's Polymarket championship probability jumped from 38 percent to 56 percent following the win. The Hurricanes entered the series as 59 percent favorites before Vegas climbed to 58 percent after Game 1, eventually peaking at 75 percent after a Game 3 double-overtime victory. Carolina returns home for Game 5 on Thursday as 59 percent favorites on Polymarket.
Mitch Marner, who scored a natural hat trick in Game 3, was held off the scoresheet in Game 4. His Conn Smythe odds fell from 67 percent to 53 percent. Taylor Hall climbed to 17 percent and Jordan Staal entered the market at 11 percent after his two-goal night.
Logan Stankoven opened the scoring 66 seconds in on a rebound. Jackson Blake doubled the lead off a cross-crease feed from Hall before the game was three and a half minutes old. Mark Stone pulled Vegas within one on a breakaway goal set up by a Shea Theodore stretch pass, but Staal's third-period winner off a Nikolaj Ehlers setup restored Carolina's advantage for good. Ehlers added an empty-netter in the final minute.
Vegas had leveled the game at 3-3 in the second period on a William Karlsson one-timer and a Brett Howden toe-drag wrist shot on the rush. Carter Hart started in net for Vegas. Backup Brandon Bussi made his first career playoff start for Carolina, stopping 18 shots including nine in a frantic third period.
The series returns to Raleigh for Game 5 Thursday, with Games 6 and 7, if necessary, back in Las Vegas and Carolina respectively.
Stanley Cup Odds Before Each Game:
Game 1: Hurricanes 59%, Golden Knights 41%
Game 2: Golden Knights 58%, Hurricanes 42%
Game 3: Hurricanes 56%, Golden Knights 44%
Game 4: Golden Knights 62%, Hurricanes 38%
Game 5: Hurricanes 56%, Golden Knights 44%
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