The Carolina Hurricanes won the NHL’s Stanley Cup for the first time in 20 years after beating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 on Sunday in Las Vegas.
The Hurricanes wrapped up the best-of-seven series with a game to spare, winning 4-2 to secure their second crown.
Head coach Rod Brind’Amour, who lifted the Stanley Cup as Carolina’s captain in 2006, led the Hurricanes into the play-offs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference and only lost three matches as they saw off the Ottawa Senators, the Philadelphia Flyers, the Montreal Canadiens and the Golden Knights en route to the title.
“I think it was just our time. We weren’t going to be denied,” Brind’Amour said.
“It’s different, because as a player, I really wanted it for myself. Now, sitting back behind [the bench] watching, I really wanted it for these guys because there’s no harder-working group. It’s just like a proud dad watching his kids go to work.”
Taylor Hall opened the scoring for the Hurricanes after just three minutes and 47 seconds before Jackson Blake doubled their lead midway through the second period.
Nikolaj Ehlers wrapped up the win with 68 seconds remaining on the clock, scoring into an empty net after the Golden Knights had pulled netminder Carter Hart for an extra skater in the final three minutes as they searched for a route back into the match.
The Hurricanes’ rookie goaltender Brandon Bussi made 22 saves in his first career play-off shutout.
Carolina captain Jordan Staal, a two-time Stanley Cup champion after previously winning with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, became the oldest player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the play-offs. The 37-year-old scored eight goals and registered four assists in the Hurricanes’ championship run.
“It’s something I’ve been going after ever since I won the first one. You want to win it again and again and again,” said Staal, whose 17-year gap between titles in the longest in NHL history.
“It’s been such a grind. I just wanted to win so bad.”
