BY MIKE RIFKIN
The Carolina Hurricanes evened the Stanley Cup Final at two games apiece with their 5-3 win over the Golden Knights on Tuesday. This has been an excellent Stanley Cup Final where no lead has been safe and both teams have shown their depth. Brandon Bussi was fantastic in game four, after relieving Freddie Andersen in game three, and he’s gotten a lot of attention for tying the series, there’s someone else who deserves a ton of credit.
Hurricane captain Jordan Staal has been sensational in the series. Staal had two goals in Game four, including the go ahead goal in the third, he now has five goals in the four games. Staal’s offense has been big for the Canes, as they’ve gotten zero goals from Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis have one goal each.
It’s not just the offense Staal has provided, he’s won 70 % of the faceoffs he’s taken. And his line has done it’s job against Jack Eichel, who hasn’t been a difference maker in this series. Staal has been a factor on special teams too, scoring a power play goal in two of the last three games, and has been a part of a penalty kill that has surrendered one power play goal over the first four goals.
Staal, who was a part of the 09 Penguins is looking for his second cup. At 37 years old he’s been arguably Carolina’s best forward in the series, and has put himself in the Conn Smythe conversation if the Canes win it all.
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