The 2026 Stanley Cup Final kicks off with the Vegas Golden Knights visiting the Carolina Hurricanes at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. The road teams have shown impressive resilience, posting a 40-36 record in the playoffs, with Vegas boasting a strong 6-2 away performance.

Vegas enters Game 1 on a six-game winning streak under head coach John Tortorella, who took over in late March. The Golden Knights are looking to become the eighth team to win the Stanley Cup after a mid-season coaching change. They aim to clinch their second championship in four years, while the Hurricanes seek their first since 2006.

Carolina, with a 12-1 postseason record, advanced to the Final after defeating the Montreal Canadiens in five games. They have demonstrated offensive prowess, outscoring their opponents 10-1 in the final two games of the Eastern Conference Final.

Key players include Mark Stone for Vegas, who has a four-game point streak, and Logan Stankoven for Carolina, who is heating up after a brief slump. Both teams have met in the postseason for the first time, with Vegas having won both regular-season matchups.

Betting odds show Carolina favored at -150 to -155, while Vegas sits at +125 to +130. The stakes are high as both teams look to establish dominance early in this highly anticipated series.