Stanley Cup Final Game Five: Best-of-Three

It is always very interesting when a best-of-seven series is 2-2 after four games. A 1-1 tie after two games turns the series into a best-of-five, but a 2-2 tie after four games turns the series into a very pivotal best-of-three. In sports, the only best-of-three series is MLB's Wild Card Series, but even so, a best-of-three format leaves very, very little room for error. This is what the Vegas Golden Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes faced on a Thursday Night in Raleigh.

The Hurricanes' Game Four victory evened things up at two, marking the second straight 2-2 Cup Final. With that, we knew two things. One, we would get at least two more games in this Cup Final, which has been even better than nearly everyone expected. And two, the Cup will be in the building on Sunday. But who will enter that day with a chance to win it? That's what this game was for.

For the second straight game, Brandon Bussi was in net for the Hurricanes, and the first period was quiet for the most part, which has been rare in this series. The tension was felt already. This was a very important game. Both teams were looking to move one win away from winning the Stanley Cup. Someone had to follow that Cobra Kai mantra of striking first, and on that night, it was Vegas. Pavel Dorofeyev, who suddenly forgot to score goals after putting in ten of them, scored the first goal of the game, and it was on the Power Play. Carolina didn't waste time tying it up, it was done five minutes later, and it was Jordan Staal getting it done again.

Staal has eight goals this postseason; six of them in the final and three in the last two games. And he's 37 years of age! After 20 minutes, the game was tied at 1, but Carolina would be shorthanded, for the most part, to start the 2nd period.

The power play was killed off, and the 2nd period was tight for a good bit, but once Carolina got on the Power Play, they struck again. This time, it was Andrei Svechnikov at 11:58, giving the Hurricanes their first lead of the game. They weren't done, as just minutes later, Sebastian Aho made it 3-1, and the home crowd in Raleigh went wild! The Hurricanes led 3-1 after 40 minutes, and they were definitely in control. They shut down the Golden Knights in the second period, a period that Vegas had been owning in this series. Now they were entering the Hurricanes' period--the third period.

Hurricanes continued to show that 3rd period mettle with a PPG in the heart of the frame, and it was Svechnikov again. That pretty much sealed it. All that was left to do was count down the final minutes. Never mind the fact that Dorofeyev scored again, all that did was make the score look closer than it originally was.

The Carolina Hurricanes won Game Five, 4-2, and they are one win away from their second Stanley Cup in franchise history. This is the first time that the Canes have a lead in this series; they had to even this series twice after losing Games One and Three, so this win gives Carolina the all important 3-2 lead. Andrei Svechnikov put two in on the PP, Jordan Staal scored yet again, and Brandon Bussi gets his second straight win!

Speaking of Staal, some are saying that if the Canes win this, Staal should get the Conn Smythe. While he does have only eight goals, his last six have come in the Final. That's impressive, but here's the thing. This isn't MLB, the NBA, or the NFL, where MVP awards are giving for their respective finals. The Conn Smythe Trophy covers the entire playoffs--from Round 1, Game 1 to the awarding of the Cup. And I'll be honest, while six goals in the Final is impressive, I don't think Jordan Staal is Carolina's MVP of this series. That has to be Brandon Bussi. Besides, Carolina has only one viable Conn Smythe candidate and that was Frederik Andersen. Emphasis on was. I think this is Mitch Marner's to lose, and I think Marner should get the Conn Smythe regardless of the outcome of this series.

And I have to address this. For any Vegas fans looking for Adin Hill to be in net for the rest of this series, don't hold your breath. John Tortorella is intent on going down with the ship with Carter Hart, who has been be getting clobbered this whole series. He even mocked the reporter who asked about possibly changing goalies after Carolina's goalie change helped them; Tortorella said it was a "stupid question." Hart has given up four goals per game in this series. Now he knows what it feels like to be on the receiving end of forced entry.

Game Six is Sunday in Vegas, and the Cup will be in the building.

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