LAS VEGAS — Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake each scored their seventh goal of the postseason, and the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final Sunday night, giving the franchise its second NHL title.
Starting for the third straight game, after his team trailed in the series 2-1, undrafted rookie goaltender Brandon Bussi made 22 saves and picked up the win, his third of the postseason.
“It’s special, it’s been a special year,” Bussi told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan on the ice before the Cup ceremony. “It’s been an honor to be able to do it with this group, everyone deserves it so much.”
Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty net goal at the 18:52 mark of the third period to conclude the scoring. It was his eighth of the playoffs in his first season as a Hurricane.
The Hurricanes defeated the Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens to advance to the Final. They were the No. 1 seed out of the Eastern Conference.
“You never know this is going to happen,” Bussi told Kaplan. “You just work hard, and put your head down, and good things will happen once in a while.”
Carolina center Jordan Staal, the longest serving member of the team, was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the postseason’s most valuable player.
“I’m so happy for these guys. It just means so much to see how happy these guys are,” coach Rod Brind’Amour told Kaplan. “It’s sticking with it, we knew what we had here. … It’s such a great story with this team, I’m just really proud.”
Hall, who played for six NHL franchises before landing in Carolina, was especially reminiscent of securing his first Stanley Cup title.
“It’s incredible. I’ve been kind of everywhere, and I got here and I really felt at home in a few days,” Hall told Kaplan. “That’s a credit to Rod and the coaching staff. But the guys that have been here for seven, eight years, I’m so happy for them. It’s an amazing group, I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
Vegas, under the direction of coach John Tortorella who was hired late in the regular season, boldly pronounced after Thursday’s 4-2 loss in Game 5 that he was leaving his clothes at his North Carolina team hotel in anticipation of a return trip. It wasn’t meant to be.
The Golden Knights were attempting to win their second Stanley Cup in four seasons.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
