NHL Hockey Player News

Bussi stopped 23 of 25 shots in the Hurricanes' 4-2 win over the Golden Knights in Game 5. Since entering the series in Game 3, Bussi has turned aside 59 of the 65 shots that he's faced (.908 SV%), stopping 2.48 goals above expected. He's been great, and has positioned the Hurricanes to win the Stanley Cup in Vegas on Sunday. Bussi and the Hurricanes enter Game 6 as -114 road favourites.

Bussi stopped 23 of 25 shots in the Hurricanes' 4-2 win over the Golden Knights in Game 5. Since entering the series in Game 3, Bussi has turned aside 59 of the 65 shots that he's faced (.908 SV%), stopping 2.48 goals above expected. He's been great, and has positioned the Hurricanes to win the Stanley Cup in Vegas on Sunday. Bussi and the Hurricanes enter Game 6 as -114 road favourites.

Karlsson left Game 5 with an arm injury on a hit from Sean Walker and did not return. With Karlsson sidelined for Game 6, the Golden Knights will have to shuffle their lines around. Either Brandon Saad or Reilly Smith will enter the lineup to replace Karlsson, and either Tomas Hertl will centre the second line, or Pavel Dorofeyev will move back into the top-6 with Mitch Marner going back to centre. Head coach John Tortorella would not commit to his changes.

Hart allowed four goals on 24 shots in the Golden Knights 4-2 loss in Carolina in Game 5. Despite allowing four goals in all five games of the series and posting an .856 SV%, head coach John Tortorella has continued to express his confidence in Hart, and will turn to him again in a must-win Game 6 on Sunday. In the first three rounds, Hart stopped 0.88 goals above expected per/60. He's given up 0.48 goals above expected per/60 in the Stanley Cup Final.

Pieniniemi was a third-round pick of the Penguins in 2023, and he spent the 2025-26 season splitting time between the AHL and ECHL. He spent most of the year with the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL), where he had 11 points (6G / 5A) in 26 games.

Okuliar was an undrafted free agent who has played one season in North America (2024-25) since signing with the Florida Panthers in April 2024. He spent the 2025-26 season in the Swedish Hockey League with Skellefteå AIK, recording 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) in 46 regular-season games. He also finished second on the team in playoff scoring with 13 points (6 goals, 7 assists), helping Skellefteå AIK capture its fifth Le Mat Trophy as SHL champions in club history.

Frederik Andersen was near-perfect in the opening three rounds of the postseason, but has struggled in the Stanley Cup Finals, leading to Brandon Bussi relieving him in Game Three for his first postseason appearance in an eventual 5-4 overtime loss. The 27-year-old went on to make his first postseason start in Game Four, helping his team even the series at 2-2 with a 5-3 victory. Bussi has saved 36 of 40 shots (.900 SV%) in his two appearances and will likely return to the crease in a pivotal Game Five. The Hurricanes enter Thursday's contest as -151 home favourites against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Golden Knights will unsurprisingly stick with Hart between the pipes for a pivotal Game 5 matchup in Carolina on Thursday. Hart turned in a fourth-straight performance with a sub .900 SV% in Game 4, allowing four goals on 27 shots in the 5-3 defeat. Hart and the Golden Knights head into Game 5 as slight underdogs, entering action at +125 on the money line.

Frederik Andersen was near-perfect in the opening three rounds of the postseason, but has struggled in the Stanley Cup Finals, leading to Brandon Bussi relieving him in Game Three for his first postseason appearance in an eventual 5-4 overtime loss. The 27-year-old went on to make his first postseason start in Game Four, helping his team even the series at 2-2 with a 5-3 victory. Bussi has saved 36 of 40 shots (.900 SV%) in his two appearances and will likely return to the crease in a pivotal Game Five. The Hurricanes enter Thursday's contest as -151 home favourites against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Kochetkov will dress for the first time in these Stanley Cup Playoffs as Frederik Andersen is listed as a scratch. Kochetkov himself missed most of the regular season due to injury, appearing in just nine games.

Andersen was relieved in Game 3 at the start of the third period in favour of Brandon Bussi. It appeared to be due to the 4-0 deficit the Canes faced at the time, though it now appears it could have been related to an undisclosed injury. Bussi will start Game 4 and Pyotr Kochetkov will serve as his backup.

Hart hasn't performed at an elite level through the opening three games of the Stanley Cup Finals, but he's done enough to backstop Vegas to a 2-1 series lead. He and the Golden Knights remarkably still managed to secure a 5-4 overtime victory in Game 3 despite blowing a four-goal lead in the third period. Vegas enters action in Game 4 at -110 on the money line.

Bussi will make his first start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday after relieving Frederik Andersen at the start of the third period in Game 3. Bussi stopped the first 18 shots he faced in that game before a bad-bounce in the second period of overtime resulted in a game-winning goal for Shea Theodore and the Golden Knights. The Hurricanes enter action in Game 4 at -110 on the money line.

McNabb missed most of Game 2 after taking a slap shot off the face, but logged a massive 35:47 TOI in Game 3. McNabb missed Monday's practice but head coach John Tortorella said he expects the bruising defenseman to remain in the lineup for Game 4 on Tuesday. McNabb has been great for Vegas throughout the postseason, and comes into Game 4 with 33 blocked shots (7th most in the playoffs) and 34 hits (35th) to go along with nine points (1G / 8A) in 18 games.