Tortorella vows – After the Vegas Golden Knights fell 4-2 in Game 5 and lost key forward William Karlsson, coach John Tortorella made a blunt vow for a Game 7 return to Raleigh—and immediately defended his goaltending decision when pressed about Carter Hart.
The night after Vegas dropped Game 5, John Tortorella sounded like a man trying to keep the Stanley Cup Final from slipping out of his hands.
He said the Golden Knights would “find a way,” adding that he planned to keep his promise close—“I’m going to leave my clothes here, that’s for sure. They’ll be in the hotel.” In his mind, that wasn’t just talk. It was a direct setup for the series to return to Raleigh, North Carolina, for Game 7.
That vow came after a 4-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, June 11. The Hurricanes got their fifth straight-game goal from Jordan Staal. then watched first-line players Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho break through with three goals apiece in the kind of surge that forces urgency onto the next night.
Brandon Bussi made 23 saves in his second consecutive start since replacing Frederik Andersen at the start of the third period of Game 3.
Vegas also had answers to offer, even in defeat. Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice to end a drought, and Jack Eichel added two assists. But the margin on the scoreboard and the shift in matchups made Tortorella’s comments about how he plans to respond—especially on goaltending—land with extra weight.
When a reporter asked whether Tortorella considered replacing Carter Hart with Adin Hill for the start of the third period in Game 5. Hart’s struggles were front and center. Hart has given up four goals in every game of the series. Tortorella did not cool down the way a coach might when challenged; he pushed back hard.
“Oh for Christ – that could be the stupidest question I’ve heard,” he said.
Behind the heated exchange sat a series problem Vegas can’t ignore. Tortorella’s insistence on his plan means Hart will need to outplay Bussi in Game 6. And Vegas will also need to solve Carolina’s power play without penalty killer Karlsson—who was lost for the Golden Knights on Thursday, June 11.
The Hurricanes, meanwhile, had their own momentum to celebrate. Staal’s five-game streak in the Stanley Cup Final tied an NHL record and placed him among Hall of Famers Yvan Cournoyer (1973). Jean Beliveau (1956). Maurice Richard (1951) and Fred “Cyclone” Taylor (1918). If Staal scores in Game 6 on Sunday in Las Vegas, he would pass them all.
Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said he was glad the schedule includes a breather. There are two days off before Game 6, and he said he expects it to help the team tamp down the excitement about winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup title since 2006.
“I don’t think it will be too hard to focus this group,” Brind’Amour said.
The series now turns on two competing storylines: Tortorella’s insistence that Vegas can bend the ending back toward Raleigh. and a Hurricanes team that has continued to find scoring depth while Bussi steadied the crease. For the Golden Knights. Game 6 is where the promise either hardens into a path—or evaporates into what the scoreboard already started to suggest.
Vegas Golden Knights Carolina Hurricanes John Tortorella Carter Hart Adin Hill Brandon Bussi William Karlsson Jordan Staal Andrei Svechnikov Sebastian Aho Stanley Cup Final Game 5 Game 6 Raleigh Las Vegas
Game 7 in Raleigh?? Sure Jan lol.
Tortorella said he’s leaving his clothes at the hotel and now everybody wants to talk about his goalie?? Like just win. Also Hart giving up 4 goals every game sounds insane.
Wait so he replaced the goalie in the third period? I thought Game 5 was already over by the time they made changes, my bad. But if Carter Hart was struggling, putting Hill in makes more sense to me even if the coach is acting tough.
Idk why coaches get so stubborn with the goalie. Like Carter Hart was basically toast, and then he’s still the plan? Plus “Vegas would find a way” sounds like something you say when you’re scared. Can someone explain if Bussi only played cuz Andersen got hurt or because of that third period thing? Feels like everything is random until playoffs decide it.