Hurricanes Win Stanley Cup With Game 6 Shutout

Sport

By lines

June 14, 2026

Stylized illustration of a hockey champion raising a trophy

The Carolina Hurricanes won the 2026 Stanley Cup on June 14. Carolina blanked the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6. The title is the franchise’s second, and first since 2006.

Brandon Bussi’s Shutout Caps Carolina’s Comeback From a 2-1 Deficit

Rookie goaltender Brandon Bussi stopped all 22 shots in Game 6 for Carolina. Bussi posted the shutout in just his third career start. Bussi entered Game 4 after Carolina trailed the series 2-1. Carolina then won Games 4, 5 and 6 to clinch the Cup.

Bussi became the third first-year goaltender in NHL history to shut out a Cup-clinching game. Carolina held Vegas to five total goals across Games 4, 5 and 6. The Hurricanes replaced veteran Frederik Andersen with Bussi during Game 3. Andersen sat out Games 4 through 6 with a knee injury.

Vegas opened the series with a 2-1 lead through three games. Mitch Marner scored a hat trick in Vegas’s Game 3 overtime win. Marner’s three goals spanned 6 minutes and 10 seconds, the fastest in Final history. Carolina then swept the final three games of the series.

Captain Jordan Staal won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Staal, 37, is the oldest Conn Smythe winner in NHL history. Staal scored six goals in the Stanley Cup Final. Staal also scored in each of the first five games, tying a Final record.

The championship is Carolina’s first since the 2006 Stanley Cup title. Coach Rod Brind’Amour won the 2006 Cup as a Carolina player. Brind’Amour now adds a title as Carolina’s head coach. The win caps eight seasons of playoff runs under Brind’Amour.

Carolina allowed Vegas only five goals across the final three games. The Hurricanes flipped the series after trailing Vegas 2-1. Carolina swept Games 4, 5 and 6 to take the Cup. The defensive surge decided the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.

Carolina closed out the series on the road in Vegas. The Hurricanes won Game 6 inside the Golden Knights’ arena. Carolina’s 3-0 shutout sealed the best-of-seven series 4-2. The Cup returns to Carolina for the first time since 2006.

Carolina now turns to its 2026 offseason and free agency decisions. The Hurricanes must address roster needs after the title run. Vegas opens its offseason after losing the Final in six games. Both teams reconvene for NHL training camps in September 2026.