Brandon Bussi gets the Game 4 start for Hurricanes as Frederik Andersen is scratched

The Carolina Hurricanes have named Brandon Bussi as their starting goalie for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, with Frederik Andersen listed as a scratch. The decision ends the most closely guarded question of the evening in Carolina, where the starter had been treated as uncertain even with Andersen still present around the team in recent days.

The timing matters because Game 3 did not just tighten the series, it altered the goalie storyline. According to, Andersen started Game 3 and allowed four goals in the first two periods before being replaced by Bussi at the start of the third. Bussi then stopped the first 18 shots he faced, a stretch that helped the Hurricanes mount a rally from a 4-0 deficit. The game ultimately went to double overtime, where a Shea Theodore shot deflected off the end boards and banked in for the Golden Knights.

Carolina’s move also reflects a broader shift in how the Hurricanes are approaching the series. reported that Andersen started the Hurricanes’ first 16 games of the postseason, including all three earlier rounds, and had produced a standout performance profile in those matchups. In the Cup Final, however, the numbers have moved against him. said Andersen has allowed 12 goals on 65 shots in the Final, bringing his Cup Final save percentage down to.815 across five starts, including at least three goals allowed in each of those starts against Vegas.

The Hurricanes’ decision means Bussi will get his first Stanley Cup Final start, and his first playoff start for the club. USA Today reported that Bussi’s Game 3 appearance was his first playoff action after a limited postseason path, and that he had not started since mid-April in his regular season workload. added that Bussi had been claimed by Carolina off waivers from the Florida Panthers on Oct. 5 and that the Hurricanes signed him to a three-year contract on Feb. 16. In the regular season prior to this postseason run, said Bussi posted a 31-6-2 record with a 2.47 goals-against average and a.895 save percentage.

Carolina’s caution has remained part of the process, too. USA Today reported that Andersen did not practice on Monday but was described by coach Rod Brind’Amour as receiving maintenance. Even with that explanation, the Hurricanes kept the starter information close to the vest, and there was no morning skate on Tuesday, leaving the lineup to be confirmed once the game day decision was finalized.

For Vegas, Game 4 now comes with a different kind of matchup in net. Bussi’s ability to reset the game flow after taking over midstream in Game 3 gives Carolina a potential template for how to survive a hostile stretch without relying on a steady start. At the same time, the Hurricanes’ defensive structure and shot quality in Game 4 will be under scrutiny, because the Golden Knights have demonstrated they can generate scoring chances quickly when opponents look uncomfortable in transition.

The next development to watch is whether Bussi becomes a one-game adjustment or the start of a longer plan. If Bussi handles a full workload effectively, Carolina will likely keep leaning on that momentum. If the Hurricanes’ process breaks down and the Golden Knights find the same lanes that produced early goals in Game 3, the question will quickly move from “who is starting” to “how long can Carolina sustain this version of the series.”