Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights: Four Bold Predictions for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final

The Golden Knights will look to force a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Hurricanes | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Can the Hurricanes snap their 20-year Stanley Cup title drought on Sunday night? They’ll have a chance to do so on the road in Las Vegas, currently holding a 3–2 lead in the series over the Golden Knights.

Game 6 is slated for Sunday at 8:00 p.m. ET from the T-Mobile Arena. The home team will be fighting to stay alive in the series and force a Game 7, while the visiting Canes will be looking to put this one to bed once and for all.

The first three games of the series were decided by one goal, with Vegas picking up both of its two wins in that span. The Canes won Games 4 and 5 by two goals apiece, and have the momentum heading into Sunday’s elimination showdown.

With the series on the line, we’re going to make some bold predictions for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Seth Jarvis will score two goals

Seth Jarvis has just one goal in the Stanley Cup Final | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Carolina’s top line was largely held in check throughout much of this series, but the unit came alive in Game 5. Andrei Svechnikov scored two goals and Sebastian Aho added one of his own––his first of the Stanley Cup Final. Seth Jarvis hasn’t scored a goal since Game 2, and he’s got just one goal in the entire series thus far. That’s relatively lackluster production for a player who’s surpassed 30 goals in each of the last three seasons and is no stranger to the bright lights of the NHL’s postseason.

In fact, Jarvis, who has made the playoffs in each of his five seasons in the NHL, has only scored fewer goals in a postseason run once in his career. He has four goals in 18 games during this Cup run, which is his fewest in a postseason since 2021–22 when he had three goals in 14 games. I’m expecting him to get a few golden opportunities in front of the net on Sunday, and come away with a pair of goals.

Carter Hart will get pulled for Adin Hill

Carter Hart has struggled at a historic rate during the Stanley Cup Final | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

John Tortorella effectively scoffed at the idea of benching the struggling Carter Hart, who has set an NHL record by surrendering four or more goals in each of the first five games of a Stanley Cup Final. He seems hellbent on giving Hart every opportunity to succeed in net, but with Vegas’s season on the line, perhaps he’ll be more open minded about making a change in net. I’m expecting Hart will start Game 6, but he won’t finish it. Hart hasn’t been good in the Stanley Cup Final, and with the Golden Knights looking to stave off elimination, I think Tortorella will come to his senses if Hart struggles again. I’m expecting the Canes to keep beating the Vegas goaltender and force Torts’s hand, prompting the veteran head coach to give Adin Hill his first opportunity of the Cup Final.

Jack Eichel will have a multi-assist game

Jack Eichel doesn’t have a goal in the Stanley Cup Final | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Jack Eichel remains without a goal in the Stanley Cup Final and he hasn’t made the offensive contributions one would typically expect from a player of his caliber. Eichel has been held of the scoresheet entirely in two of the five games in the series, and has only one game with more than one point. Eichel has four points in five games against the Hurricanes, after racking up 18 points in his first 16 games of the postseason. I’m expecting the Golden Knights’ star to get back on track in Game 6 and for him to tally a couple of assists in the pivotal game.

Mark Stone will score overtime winner as Vegas Knights force Game 7

Mark Stone has two goals in the Stanley Cup Final | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Two of the five games in this series have gone to overtime, including the double overtime thriller in Game 3. Every game of the Stanley Cup Final has been a tightly-contested battle, and I’m expecting the intensity will increase in Game 6. With their backs against the wall, I think the Golden Knights will score a late equalizer in regulation to force overtime, and subsequently get a game-winner in the overtime period. And who better to deliver the overtime winner than Vegas captain Mark Stone, suitably nicknamed “Captain Clutch?” Stone has just two points in the series, but he’s no stranger to the bright lights of the Stanley Cup Final. I’m expecting Stone to put the team on his back in the overtime period and score the winner to force this series to a seventh game.

Final score prediction: Golden Knights 4, Hurricanes 3

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