Golden Knights – Vegas makes three lineup changes for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Sunday night, inserting Reilly Smith, Kaedan Korczak and Braeden Bowman in place of William Karlsson, Dylan Coghlan and Keegan Kolesar as it looks to force a Game 7 back in Raleigh, N.C.
Sunday night’s Stanley Cup Final Game 6 arrives with a clear message from Vegas: the Golden Knights are changing the picture, and they’re doing it now.
With puck drop set for 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+, the Golden Knights will insert Reilly Smith, Kaedan Korczak and Braeden Bowman into the lineup. They’ll come in for William Karlsson, Dylan Coghlan and Keegan Kolesar.
Smith is sliding into the forward mix to replace Karlsson, who was injured in Game 5 after taking a hit from Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Sean Walker.
For Smith, this is a return to postseason action. A member of Vegas’s original “misfits,” he has played in six post-season games this spring, all against the Utah Mammoth in the first round. In the regular season, Smith produced 16 goals and 10 assists in 69 games.
Bowman’s inclusion adds another jolt to Vegas’s lineup. He will join Smith among the Golden Knights’ 12 forwards as they push for a winner-take-all Game 7 back in Raleigh, N.C. The 22-year-old rookie has not played in these playoffs, with his last regular-season appearance coming on March 21.
When Bowman did play earlier, he suited up for Vegas in 54 games in 2025-26, finishing with eight goals and 18 assists.
Korczak takes the next step on the blue line. He will slide in for Coghlan, as Vegas reshapes its defense for Game 6. Korczak has played in 12 playoff games this year across Vegas’s first three series victories, but he has not been tabbed to play in the Cup Final.
The right-shot blue-liner has three assists in the post-season so far, after totaling three goals and 13 assists over 78 regular-season contests.
Golden Knights Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup Final Game 6 Reilly Smith Kaedan Korczak Braeden Bowman William Karlsson Dylan Coghlan Keegan Kolesar Sean Walker Carolina Hurricanes Raleigh NHL playoffs