Tomas Hertl delivered a stunning late goal, breaking a third-period deadlock to secure a 5-4 victory for the Vegas Golden Knights against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final opener on Tuesday in Raleigh, North Carolina.

In a match that showcased a back-and-forth battle, Shea Theodore shone with a three-point performance, while Brett Howden contributed a goal and an assist. Ivan Barbashev and William Karlsson also found the net for the Golden Knights. Carter Hart, the Vegas goaltender, made 23 crucial saves, and Brayden McNabb achieved a career playoff-high with three assists.

The Hurricanes initially took control with Nikolaj Ehlers scoring twice, including the third-fastest goal in Stanley Cup Final history at just 25 seconds into the game. Jordan Staal and Shayne Gostisbehere added goals, but Carolina struggled to maintain their early momentum, suffering only their second loss of the playoffs.

Key moments from the game include:

• Ehlers opening the scoring at 25 seconds
• Barbashev tying the game early in the second period
• Howden giving Vegas a brief lead in the third
• Hertl’s top-shelf shot with just 3:24 left in regulation

Game 2 of this best-of-seven series is set for Thursday in Raleigh, as the Hurricanes look to even the series before heading to Las Vegas. Historically, the team winning Game 1 has triumphed in the Stanley Cup 76.4% of the time, but that percentage drops to 65.6% when the visiting team wins.