The Carolina Hurricanes bowed out in the opening final.
Sebastian Aho’s chain was damaged. PDO
The Vegas Golden Knights provided shock therapy to the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening game of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Carolina started the match fantastically and already took a 2–0 lead in the opening set.
However, Vegas came alongside and over. The Hurricanes tied the game on two occasions, but it wasn’t enough.
The last nail was hit by the Czech star Tomáš Hertl in time 56.36.
Hertl’s winning goal came in a dramatic way. Just a little while ago With Seth Jarvis was a prime spot to shoot Carolina into the lead, but Carter Hart With Vegas’ goal, he made a great save.
Sebastian Ahon led by the first chain was left with no points in the match.
Fans demanded more from their star, and the duo received a lot of criticism.
– Jarvis and Aho are full-fledged playoff tourists, one of them seethed.
– Aho’s chain was absolutely creepy today, another would say.
– It was terrible to watch, the third condemned.
The opening final was an even twist as a whole. Carolina dominated the opening set, Vegas the second. The third set was even, but Vegas’ more efficient finishing guaranteed the win.
Carolina fans tried to bring their own card to the table and make it easier for their team by encouraging and influencing the opponents.
The supporters took a look at Hart, the terrible goaltender of Vegas.
The supporters shouted the verse in unison “no means no” i.e. “no means no”.
Hart was one of the players accused in the sex crime scandal that rocked Canadian hockey.
He and four other Canadian hockey players were suspected of raping a young woman in 2018. The players have since been acquitted of the charges.
Hart signed with Vegas shortly after the NHL’s ban on accused players expired.
Twists and turns
Nikolaj Ehlers was Carolina’s best player in the opening final. PDO
The match got off to an explosive start when Carolina managed to score after only 25 seconds of play.
The Lenovo Center erupted into a huge scream when the Danish star Nikolaj Ehlers nailed the opening goal of the final series by driving through.
Playing in the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2006, Carolina started the game fantastically. Ehlers struck for the second time in the opening set when he sunk a 2-0 shot. He doubled the lead of the hurricane jerseys in 12:08.
After this, however, something happened that Carolina cannot afford in the final series against the experienced Vegas.
Shea Theodore narrowed the game to 1–2 just over a minute after Ehlers’ second goal.
Carolina dominated the opening set, but Vegas’ spirited finish was poison for the home team in the second set.
Vegas’ coaching cooked snake soups in the first period break, and the team came with a completely new look to the second period.
Ivan Barbashov and William Karlsson scored quick goals at the beginning of the second period and already took Vegas to a 3–2 lead.
Top of the playoffs Mitch Marner did a great pre-work for Karlsson’s hit.
Carolina had not allowed more than two goals in a single game in the playoffs. Vegas did this in less than 25 minutes in Game 1 of the Finals.
The second set was dominated by Vegas, and Carolina couldn’t get their engines going. It wasn’t until the end of the period that the North Carolina players got their offensive game rolling.
In the midst of difficulties, the Hurricanes showed their toughness and tied the game despite a weak period. Captain Jordan Staal stepped forward and tied the game at 3–3.
Vegas had a great chance to take the lead again at the end of the second period with superiority, but Carolina’s strong Alivoima held on.
The visitors were able to start the final set with superiority, which, however, did not bring success.
In the end, Hertl decided the match with his goal at the end of the third period.
The second final will be played the night before Friday Finnish time. Vegas leads the series 1–0.