5. Andersen, Hart and unlikely goalie battle
Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen played 35 games in the regular season, four fewer than his goalie partner, Brandon Bussi, and tied for the 37th most in the League. Golden Knights goalie Carter Hart played 18 games.
There were 66 goalies who played more.
So, yes, the Stanley Cup Final features one of the more unlikely goalie matchups, unless you have been paying attention since the playoffs began, because a big reason both teams are here is the play of Andersen and Hart.
Andersen is first in the playoffs with a .931 save percentage. Hart is second at .924.
Andersen has allowed 20 goals in 13 games, a 1.41 goals-against average. He has three shutouts and set a Carolina playoff record for longest shutout streak (160:13) between Games 3-5 of the Eastern Conference Final.
He is the third goalie in NHL history with 12 wins in 13 games in a single postseason following Ken Dryden (1976 Canadiens) and Gerry Cheevers (1970 Bruins).
Hart is 12-4. He has allowed 37 goals in 16 games, a 2.22 GAA.
They looked like longshots to lead their teams to the Stanley Cup Final a month and a half ago, but here they are and they are going to be arguably the most important players in the series.
6. The return of the ‘Golden Misfits’
In 2017-18, Vegas’ inaugural season, the Golden Knights took on the fun moniker, the “Golden Misfits,” because the roster, selected in the expansion draft, was seen as a bunch of cast-offs from other teams that came together to make something special happen.
They went to the Stanley Cup Final and lost to the Washington Capitals in five games.
Many of the “Golden Misfits” from that inaugural season have since left Vegas, but this Cup Final will feature four of them, including one that will be competing against his former fellow “Misfits.”
Vegas forwards William Karlsson and Reilly Smith, and defensemen Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore are still carrying the “Misfits” legacy in Las Vegas as key members of the Golden Knights.
Smith left for a while, but he’s been back since last season. He, Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault, who is now with the Nashville Predators, made up the original “Misfits Line.”
William Carrier, an original “Misfit,” is now a member of Carolina’s all-important and impactful fourth line. Carrier was with the Golden Knights from 2017-24 before signing a six-year, $12 million contract with the Hurricanes on July 3, 2024.
