Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights Goal Scorers, Highlights and Recap from NHL Stanley Cup Final Game 4

Home-ice advantage in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final once again belongs to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Carolina defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3 in Tuesday's Game 4 to even the series at two apiece. It shouldn't come as much surprise the Eastern Conference champions bounced back from a Game 3 defeat, as they haven't lost consecutive games since January.

Jordan Staal scored two of the victors' five goals, including the crucial go-ahead one in the third period. Logan Stankoven, Jackson Blake and Nikolaj Ehlers (empty net) also found the back of the net, while Carolina goalkeeper Brandon Bussi turned away 18 of the 21 shots he faced in place of the benched Frederik Andersen.

Mark Stone, William Karlsson and Brett Howden all scored for the Golden Knights, but Bussi still played better than Andersen did when the latter allowed four goals in a Game 3 loss.

While Carolina ultimately lost that Game 3 in double-overtime, it also overcame a 4-0 deficit with four goals in the third period and picked up right where it left off with expected urgency out of the gates in Tuesday's contest.

Stankoven scored just more than one minute in, and Blake doubled the lead with another point-blank shot fewer than three minutes later. Staal also connected on a power-play goal in the opening period as the Hurricanes continued to relentlessly create opportunities right in front of the net.

Vegas couldn't match Carolina's three goals, but it created some offense of its own in the first period with a Stone goal and what appeared to be a second when Brayden McNabb buried a shot right at the buzzer. However, the officials ruled the puck did not cross the goal line before time expired, keeping the visitors' advantage at 3-1.

Bussi turned away some looks, but the early story was the Hurricanes' overpowering attack that dictated the pace of play and set the tone.

However, the Golden Knights temporarily flipped the script in the second period.

While Carolina still enjoyed an advantage in the shots department, Bussi was unable to protect the lead when Karlsson and then Howden beat him for goals. Howden's goal was his 14th of the playoffs, which set a franchise record for a single postseason.

It set the stage for a dramatic finish with the Hurricanes largely controlling play but the Golden Knights capitalizing on their limited chances against a goalkeeper who hadn't started a game since April 14.

Still, it seemed like a matter of time before Carolina would break through again as it controlled play, and it did just that when it seized the lead early in the final period with a diving backhand goal from Staal during a scramble in front of the net.

Staal's goal was the play of the game, but Bussi and the Hurricanes defense also had to stand strong throughout crunch time to preserve the advantage. Jack Eichel in particular had a golden opportunity to force overtime, but he did not convert.

Bussi delivered when needed and may have earned himself another start for Thursday's Game 5 when the series returns to Carolina.