Hockey Wiretap

The Vegas Golden Knights entered Game 3 at 44% on Polymarket to win the Stanley Cup, but now sit at 64% following their thrilling double-overtime 5-4 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in which they took a 2-1 series lead. The Knights had briefly reached 75% when they appeared set to close out Game 2, before that lead evaporated.

Shea Theodore's shot deflected off Carolina's Jordan Martinook and into the net via Brandon Bussi's skate at 5:38 of the second overtime Saturday.

Mitch Marner's Conn Smythe odds moved from 37% to 67% after the game. Marner paced all playoff scorers with 28 points in 19 games, eight clear of Carolina's Jackson Blake.

Marner built the four-goal cushion almost single-handedly, recording the fastest hat trick in Stanley Cup Finals history across a 6:10 stretch of the second period. The natural hat trick broke a record held by Maurice "Rocket" Richard of the Montreal Canadiens since 1957. Marner also added an assist on Tomas Hertl's power play goal, giving him four points in the period and matching a Finals record set by Frank Foysten of the 1919 Seattle Metropolitans.

"Well, I think a lot of guys made great plays to set me up," Marner said. "I think you need five guys on the ice to all be on the same page. And I thought our line did a really good job of that throughout the entire night."

Carolina then erased that 4-0 margin with three goals in 39 seconds late in the third, the fastest such sequence in Finals history, before Andrei Svechnikov converted a six-on-four power play with 1:42 remaining to force overtime. Carolina had been 6-0 in overtime during the 2026 playoffs.

Teams that take a 2-1 Finals lead have gone on to win the Cup 46 of 57 times. Game 4 is Tuesday in Las Vegas.

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Shea Theodore's goal at 5:38 of the second overtime rescued the Vegas Golden Knights after they surrendered a four-goal lead, delivering a 5-4 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals and giving Vegas a 2-1 series advantage.

Carolina erased a 4-0 deficit with three goals in 39 seconds late in the third period, then tied the game on a six-on-four power play goal by Andrei Svechnikov with 1:42 remaining. Theodore's winner came when his shot deflected off Carolina's Jordan Martinook and into the net off goaltender Brandon Bussi's skate.

"At that point, you are just trying to get anything to the net and hope you get a bounce," said Theodore. "And luckily, we got one."

Mitch Marner had built that four-goal cushion almost single-handedly, scoring the fastest hat trick in Stanley Cup Finals history across a 6:10 stretch of the second period. His natural hat trick broke a record set by Maurice "Rocket" Richard of the Montreal Canadiens in 1957. Marner also became just the second player in Finals history to score a natural hat trick in a single period, joining Detroit's Ted Lindsay in 1955.

"Well, I think a lot of guys made great plays to set me up," said Marner. "I think you need five guys on the ice to all be on the same page. And I thought our line did a really good job of that throughout the entire night."

Marner's first goal came via a deflection off Carolina defenseman Sean Walker. His second followed a Brayden McNabb forecheck and turnover. He completed the hat trick at 16:52 with a long slap shot from the right circle, and also assisted on Tomas Hertl's power play goal, giving him four points in the period. That matched an NHL record set by Frank Foysten of the 1919 Seattle Metropolitans.

"He's probably one of the best players in the league. He does everything," said coach John Tortorella. "Mitch is Mitch. He does everything as a player. He was certainly a huge piece tonight."

Carolina changed goalies to open the third period, replacing Frederik Andersen, who surrendered four goals on 16 shots, with Brandon Bussi, who finished with 18 saves. Vegas netminder Carter Hart stopped 29 shots. The Golden Knights also had two second-period goals overturned on video review before building their lead.

Marner was awarded a penalty shot in the third period after a Sebastian Aho slashing call but was stopped by Bussi.

"I was pretty exhausted, to be honest," said Marner. "I liked my move. I just missed by a hair."

Vegas had a 3.28 to 2.99 edge in expected goals in Game 3.

Carolina, which had been 6-0 in overtime this postseason, could not extend that streak. Teams that take a 2-1 Finals lead have gone on to win the Cup 46 of 57 times. Game 4 is Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

Marner leads all playoff scorers with 28 points in 19 games, eight ahead of Carolina's Jackson Blake. According to Polymarket, Marner jumped from 37 percent to 67 percent favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP with his Game 3 performance.

Want to trade on the NHL Stanley Cup Finals? New Polymarket users can claim a $50 welcome bonus with a $20 deposit. Use promo code ACQUIRE04 at sign-up or claim the Polymarket welcome offer through RealGM.

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Mitch Marner scored the fastest hat trick by a single player in Stanley Cup Finals history Saturday night, netting three goals in 6:10 of the second period to power the Vegas Golden Knights past the Carolina Hurricanes in double overtime, 5-4, and take a 2-1 series lead.

Marner's natural hat trick broke a record set by Maurice "Rocket" Richard of the Montreal Canadiens, who scored three goals in 6:21 in Game 1 of the 1957 Finals against the Boston Bruins. Marner also became just the second player in Finals history to record a natural hat trick in a single period, joining Detroit's Ted Lindsay, who accomplished the feat in 1955.

"Well, I think a lot of guys made great plays to set me up," said Marner. "I think you need five guys on the ice to all be on the same page. And I thought our line did a really good job of that throughout the entire night."

Marner's first goal came via a deflection off Carolina defenseman Sean Walker, who redirected a Marner backhand past goalie Frederik Andersen. His second followed a Brayden McNabb forecheck and turnover, with Marner deking Andersen at 3:50. He completed the hat trick at 16:52 with a long slap shot from the right circle. Marner also assisted on Tomas Hertl's power play goal, giving him four points in the period, tying an NHL record set by Frank Foysten of the 1919 Seattle Metropolitans.

Carolina rallied to tie the game 4-4 in the third period before Vegas claimed the victory in double overtime.

"He's probably one of the best players in the league. He does everything," said coach John Tortorella. "Mitch is Mitch. He does everything as a player. He was certainly a huge piece tonight."

McNabb's return to the lineup after absorbing an 87 mph shot to the face in Game 2 was a secondary storyline, as the defenseman played wearing a full cage.

Marner was awarded a penalty shot in the third period after a Sebastian Aho slashing call but was stopped by replacement goalie Brandon Bussi.

"I was pretty exhausted, to be honest," said Marner. "I liked my move. I just missed by a hair."

Marner leads all playoff scorers with 28 points in 19 games, eight ahead of Carolina's Jackson Blake. According to Polymarket, Marner jumped from 37 percent to 67 percent favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP with his Game 3 performance.

New Polymarket users can claim a $50 welcome bonus with a $20 deposit. Use promo code ACQUIRE04 at sign-up or claim the Polymarket welcome offer through RealGM.

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The Vegas Golden Knights offered no update ahead of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on injured defenseman Brayden McNabb, who left Game 2 after taking a puck to the face.

McNabb left Game 2 after a scary scene in which a shot by Carolina Hurricanes forward Nik Ehlers, traveling 87 mph, hit him around the visor. He dropped to the ice before eventually getting to his skates, clutching his nose as he quickly left.

McNabb left the arena for a local hospital. Vegas lost the game, 4-3 in overtime, as Carolina evened the series at 1-1.

Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning has won the Vezina Trophy, the second time he has been named the NHL's top goaltender.

Vasilevskiy, 31, was a finalist for the sixth time for the award given to the goalie "adjudged to be the best at his position." It's voted on by the NHL's general managers. Vasilevskiy appeared on 28 of a possible 32 ballots.

Auston Matthews doesn't appear to have one foot out the door for the Toronto Maple Leafs as the organization shifts into its next chapter.

That's what Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka has taken from his interactions with the team captain, including during a recent trip to Matthews' home base in Scottsdale, Arizona, despite ongoing rumors of Matthews' dissatisfaction with the club.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield has won the 2025-26 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the player best combining sportsmanship, conduct, and playing ability.

Caufield, who ranked second in the league with 51 goals this season, received first-place votes on 45 ballots from the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar finished second, followed by Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson.

Caufield accumulated just 14 penalty minutes during the regular season, a key factor in Lady Byng voting. His previous best finish for the award was 34th the prior season.

Kopitar, who retired after the season, recorded 12 goals and 38 points in 67 games while taking only five minor penalties. The three-time Lady Byng winner missed becoming the fifth player to claim the award four or more times, joining Frank Boucher (seven), Wayne Gretzky (five), Pavel Datsyuk (four), and Red Kelly (four).

Sanderson averaged 24 minutes, 50 seconds of ice time per game for Ottawa, posted 54 points in 67 games, and totaled only eight penalty minutes. The Senators lost in a first-round sweep to Carolina for the second straight postseason.

Caufield and Montreal advanced to the Eastern Conference finals before falling to Carolina in five games. Canadiens center Nick Suzuki also claimed the Selke Trophy on Friday as the league's top defensive forward.

"Four players each received 20-plus first-place votes," the NHL noted, reflecting how competitive the ballot was across the top candidates this season.

The Carolina Hurricanes overcame a two-goal third-period deficit to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals, with Seth Jarvis scoring the winner to even the series at 1-1 and return Carolina to the series lead on Polymarket at 56 percent.

Logan Stankoven got Carolina on the board with 9:40 remaining in regulation, stripping the puck from Rasmus Andersson, driving to the net and banking a shot off Jeremy Lauzon. Mark Jankowski then beat Carter Hart less than three minutes later to tie the game, and Jarvis finished the comeback in overtime.

The rally was a carbon copy of what Vegas had done in Game 1, when the Golden Knights erased a multi-goal Hurricanes lead to win. This marks the first time in Cup Finals history that each of the opening two games featured a team trailing by more than one goal and winning.

Polymarket odds tell a vivid story of the series' volatility. Vegas climbed to 75 percent series favorites while holding a 2-0 lead midway through the third period of Game 2, only to see that figure collapse as Carolina scored twice to force overtime.

The Hurricanes now sit at 56 percent, nearly identical to the 59 percent advantage they held entering Game 1. Both clubs started the season at roughly 10 percent to win the Cup. The series shifts to Vegas for Games 3 and 4, and market bettors appear to view the teams as nearly even.

The underlying numbers support Carolina's confidence. The Hurricanes held a 2.28-to-2.05 edge in expected goals for in Game 2, per Natural Stat Trick. Across both games, Carolina leads the series in that metric 4.47 to 4.16, despite the split result, a sign the Hurricanes are generating slightly better shot quality even when the scoreboard has not reflected it.

For much of the game, Carolina generated very little. Vegas controlled play for the first 45 minutes, limiting the Hurricanes to minimal zone time and capitalizing on a handful of scoring opportunities while defending tightly. A pair of strong offensive-zone shifts shortly before the midpoint of the third changed the tone, and Carolina's crowd responded as the Hurricanes began to press before they surged to tie the game.

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Seth Jarvis scored a power-play goal 3:56 into overtime Thursday night, lifting the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. The series is now tied 1-1, with Game 3 scheduled for Saturday at 8 p.m. ET in Las Vegas.

The winning goal came after a chaotic third period featuring four scores, a disallowed Golden Knights goal, and a failed coach's challenge that handed Carolina a decisive power play.

Vegas held a two-goal lead through much of the contest before Logan Stankoven cut the deficit with 9:40 remaining, stripping the puck and banking a shot in off Jeremy Lauzon. Mark Jankowski followed with a tying goal less than three minutes later.

Vegas coach John Tortorella then challenged a waved-off Ivan Barbashev goal with five minutes remaining, ruling referee Jean Hebert had correctly called goaltender interference on Frederik Andersen. The failed challenge resulted in a two-minute penalty, and Jordan Staal converted Shayne Gostisbehere's point shot on the ensuing power play with 4:35 left.

Mark Stone tied the game at 6-on-5 with 1:21 remaining, with Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin deflecting the puck into his own net. Early in overtime, Tomas Hertl tripped Staal, sending the Hurricanes back to the power play and setting up Jarvis for the winner.

"It was a lot," said Jarvis. "We did a great job controlling our emotions. We never got too high, never got too low. Just kept responding, and that's what I love about this group is we always bounce back."

This marks the first Cup Final in which each of the opening two games featured a team overcoming a multi-goal deficit to win.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb was taken to the hospital in the middle of Game 2 of the Stanley cup finals after he was hit in the face by an 87 mph puck.

McNabb was defending in front of Vegas goalie Carter Hart when Carolina Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers fired a shot from inside the blue line.

McNabb was holding his nose as he left the ice.

Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon moved up to take McNabb's place next to Shea Theodore on the Golden Knights' top pairing.