Golden Knights beat Hurricanes in double OT Game 3, one of the wildest Stanley Cup Final games of all-time
LAS VEGAS — The Stanley Cup Final delivered another unforgettable chapter Sunday night, as the Vegas Golden Knights outlasted the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in double overtime at T-Mobile Arena to take a 2-1 series lead in a game that rewrote the record books.
The contest featured one of the most remarkable individual performances in playoff history, with Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner completing a hat trick in just six minutes and 10 seconds—an NHL record for the fastest three goals by a player in a single playoff game.
"I was just trying to help the team any way I could," Marner said afterward. "The puck was finding me, and I was able to capitalize."
The night began with a surprising sight: Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb in the lineup despite taking a slapshot directly to the face during Game 2 in Raleigh. McNabb wore a full cage to protect his injuries, drawing admiration from teammates and opponents alike.
"He's one of the toughest guys in the league," Golden Knights captain Mark Stone said. "Nobody expected him to play, and he gutted it out."
The first period was a physical affair with no scoring, as Carolina controlled play and held a 7-2 advantage in shots. The game truly ignited in the second period, which began with Stone scoring just 36 seconds in—only to have the goal waved off due to an offside call following a Carolina challenge.
Minutes later, Jack Eichel found the net, but another Carolina challenge resulted in the goal being disallowed due to contact between Vegas forward Ivan Barbashev and Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen.
The game's first power play came when Carolina was penalized for too many men on the ice. Tomas Hertl made the Hurricanes pay, converting on the man-advantage to put Vegas on the board.
Sixteen seconds later, Marner recorded his first goal of the night when Carolina defenseman Sean Walker deflected a shot into his own net.
Marner wasn't satisfied with that fortunate tally. Just over three minutes later, he scored again—this time with a clean goal—to complete the hat trick and set the NHL record.
"I wanted to get one the right way," Marner explained. "It feels good to contribute."
The Hurricanes showed their resilience in the third period. After Andersen was replaced by Brand Bussi, Carolina mounted a stunning comeback. Jordan Martinook scored at the 9:40 mark of the period, and Taylor Hall followed 22 seconds later to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Jordan Staal added another goal just 17 seconds after Hall, as Carolina scored three times in 39 seconds—the fastest three goals by a single team in Stanley Cup Final history.
"We never stopped believing," Staal said. "We showed what kind of team we have."
Carolina continued pressing, and with Bussi pulled for an extra attacker, Andrei Svechnikov tied the game 4-4 with a power-play goal with 2:33 remaining in regulation.
The game headed to overtime for the second consecutive contest between these teams. After a scoreless first extra period, Shea Theodore became the hero. The defenseman, who had been penalized for delay of game earlier in the contest, fired a shot past Bussi 4:35 into the second overtime to secure the victory.
"I just tried to stay composed," Theodore said. "I had made a mistake that almost cost us, so I wanted to make up for it."
The Golden Knights now hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, with Game 4 scheduled for Tuesday night back at T-Mobile Arena. For Carolina, the loss marks a painful missed opportunity against a Vegas team that has now won six consecutive playoff games at home this postseason.
"We had them on the ropes and let it slip away," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "But there's no quit in this room. We'll be ready Tuesday."
