Vegas led 4-0 in the second period of Game 3 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, but Carolina scored four unanswered in the third to force overtime. Shea Theodore then scored the game-winner in double overtime as the Golden Knights took a 2-1 series lead.
The moment Vegas looked ready to glide past the moment, the series shifted under their skates.
In Game 3 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final on Saturday night, the Vegas Golden Knights built a 4-0 lead in the second period. Mitch Marner had already put the Hurricanes on their heels with a hat trick, and it felt like the night was slipping away from Carolina.
Then the third period arrived, and it arrived with intent.
Vegas surrendered the 4-0 advantage. Carolina scored four unanswered goals to force overtime, with three of those goals coming in a span of 39 seconds. What had looked like cruise control turned into survival in a hurry.
Overtime didn’t end it. In double overtime, Shea Theodore finished it for Vegas, scoring the game-winner to deliver the Golden Knights a victory they may not have believed was still within reach. With the win, Vegas took a 2-1 series lead.
The story of Game 3 is not just that Vegas won. It’s that they were made to watch a 4-0 second-period lead unravel—then found a way to respond all the way back when the stakes were at their highest.
Vegas Golden Knights Carolina Hurricanes Mitch Marner Shea Theodore Stanley Cup Final Game 3 double overtime blown lead