Jordan Staal scores twice as Hurricanes even Stanley Cup Final with 5-3 win over Vegas

Jordan Staal did not make Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final complicated. He scored twice, including the go-ahead goal late in the third period, and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3 to tie the championship series 2-2.

The win came with Carolina showing its ability to reset after shaky stretches. According to game reporting, the Hurricanes opened quickly with a 2-0 lead, then pushed to 3-1 before giving Vegas opportunities to claw back. The second period, which had been rough for Carolina in previous moments of the series, remained a recurring theme as the teams traded chances and momentum, but Carolina’s finishing in key phases kept it in control when the game turned into a late-state sprint.

Staal’s second goal carried a particularly old-school feel. Multiple reports described an acrobatic, unconventional finish that became the highlight of the night and captured the kind of grit-and-patience scoring the Hurricanes have leaned on at different points this postseason. Staal’s two-goal effort gave Carolina the kind of captain production that tends to matter most when the ice tightens and the margins shrink in a Final.

Carolina’s goaltending story turned, too. Brandon Bussi made his first playoff start for the Hurricanes and picked up a win, stepping in for Frederik Andersen, who did not dress for the game after starting the first 16 playoff matches. Reports also noted that Pyotr Kochetkov dressed as the backup, while Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour explained that using Kochetkov in a backup role was part of managing Andersen’s and the club’s rest needs.

Vegas was not shut down. The Golden Knights generated sustained pressure, and early chances forced Bussi to make timely stops, including in moments that had the potential to flip the scoreboard quickly. Still, Carolina weathered the swings, and the final scoreboard reflected that the Hurricanes did more than survive. They responded when Vegas made it a game, then converted enough of their own looks to keep the Golden Knights from stealing momentum.

Carolina’s offensive contributions extended beyond its captain. In the reporting around the game, Logan Stankoven scored early to give the Hurricanes a fast start, and Jackson Blake doubled the lead soon after. Taylor Hall also factored into the flow of play with a setup on one of the goals described in game recaps. The mix matters for a team in a series like this, because Finals defenses can try to take away star touches by forcing secondary actors to win the puck battles and the rebound battles.

With the series knotted at two apiece, the Stanley Cup Final picture turns more volatile. Each side now has proof it can dictate tempo in bursts, but neither can relax about the other’s ability to answer. Game 5 in Raleigh will put pressure on both teams’ adjustment plans, particularly around how Carolina manages its goaltending rotation and how Vegas approaches opportunities once the Hurricanes feel comfortable jumping ahead early.