The 2026 Stanley Cup Final has given us three games and three moments that don’t happen in real life. I’m almost at a complete loss for words for what happened. It’s one thing if you have one crazy game in a series, and sometimes you might even get two. Well, through three games in the Stanley Cup Final we are a perfect 3/3 in terms of wildly entertaining games.
Game 1 showed Carolina roar out to a 2-goal lead. They proceeded to lose the lead, comeback to tie it, and eventually lose in regulation. It was great theatre.
Game 2 upped the ante. This time Vegas jumped out to a 2-goal lead. Carolina seemed dead in the water until the third period where they scored three goals in five minutes. Squished in there was a goaltender inference challenge by Vegas that had it been ruled the other way they likely would have taken a 2-0 series lead. Nevertheless, Vegas was still able to score with under two minutes left to send it to OT, though they would eventually lose during the extra frame.
Now onto Game 3. Holy shit. Much like Game 2, it appeared that Vegas was going to steamroll through Carolina. Not only did it appear that way, but it was also becoming reality. The Golden Knights left the ice after the second period with a 4-0 lead. The third period remained rather mundane other than Carolina swapping out Freddy for Brandon Bussi. Well, with about 13 minutes remaining, the game went from mundane to completely batshit crazy. Carolina scored three goals in 39 seconds. The score was suddenly 4-3 and Carolina had completely quieted the crowd in Sin City. They weren’t completely done with third period outburst as captain Jordan Staal decided to tie the game up.
Kinda crazy the goal wasn’t challenged to be honest. This was very similar to what happened in game 2, which they called interference. However, if you’re Torts you cannot risk losing that challenge and being down a man with 2 minutes left in regulation especially with Carolina riding a high from the tying the game. So, I do agree with the thought process of not challenging, but it’s hard to imagine that goal standing. Nevertheless, the larger, much larger, issue is the fact that there are no consistencies with these calls. Coaches are literally gambling against a huge house edge every single time they challenge for goaltender interference. I don’t know how the league fixes the issue, but they need to find a way. It would be a damn shame if this series ends, and the cup is awarded, after a 10–15-minute goaltender interference review.
Anyway… The game went to overtime. As a matter of fact, the game went to double overtime. For all the craziness of this game it ended in similar fashion as a puck caromed off the end wall and into the net, Vegas wins.
Above is the brief plot of the game. However, so much more happened. First, let me say for the millionth time, Toronto fans are so goddamn stupid. Mitch Marner is an elite hockey player. They made him the scapegoat and ran him out of town. He’s now two wins away from a cup and Conn Smythe. Yes, he is going to win the Conn Smythe and he all but wrapped up that trophy during the second period of game 3. Mitch decided to go out there and score the fastest hattrick in Stanley Cup Finals history. Oh, and he added an assist which tied him for the most points during a single period in the Finals. Just an absolutely elite performance by an elite player. Anyone and everyone who besmirched his name in Toronto should be forced to go down Niagara Falls in a barrel.
Carolina responded to Mitch’s hattrick in the third period scoring the fastest three goals by one team in Stanley Cup Finals history. It seemed like every goal in this game was breaking some sort of Finals record, it was like a video game coming to life.
In video games if a player were to get smoked in the nose by an 88mph clapper, the game would likely be coded to put him out of the lineup. Well, Brayden McNabb isn’t living in a video game, he’s more or less acting like he has the regenerative powers of Wolverine. This dude’s nose looked like it was completely off his face and yet he threw a cage on and played game 3. Not only did he play in game 3, but he was also extremely effective. He set Marner up for Marner’s second goal of the game and he logged the most ice time of anyone on the Knights. What a complete warrior.
This game also included two goals that were challenged and taken off the board. Both goals were scored by Vegas, and both were appropriately challenged and overturned. Just insane that all of this shit happened in one game.
