Golden Knights' William Karlsson: Undergoes wrist surgery
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Karlsson will undergo surgery Wednesday for a broken wrist, per Jesse Granger of The Athletic.
Karlsson left Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Thursday due to the injury, and he didn't play in Game 6 on Sunday. He had three goals and nine points in 15 playoff appearances this year. The 33-year-old also recorded four goals and seven points in 14 regular-season outings, but he missed the bulk of the campaign because of a lower-body injury. It's the second straight year that Karlsson has missed a significant chunk of time -- he was limited to 53 regular-season games and 11 playoff outings in 2024-25.
Hart allowed two goals on 22 shots in Sunday's 3-0 loss to the Hurricanes in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
This was Hart's best game of the series, but the Golden Knights' offense couldn't give him any support. Sunday's loss brought Vegas' pursuit of a second championship to an end, as the Golden Knights came up two wins short. Hart finished the postseason 14-8 with a 2.56 GAA and a .907 save percentage in a league-high 22 games. He is under contract for 2026-27 and will likely get a chance to enter the season as the Golden Knights' top goalie.
Golden Knights' Carter Hart: Set to start in Game 6
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Hart will start at home against Carolina in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Sunday, per Dan Rosen of NHL.com.
Coaches typically don't reveal their starters during the playoffs, but John Tortorella confirmed his while defending Hart's recent performance. Although Hart has been strong in the 2026 playoffs with a 14-7 record, 2.59 GAA and .907 save percentage in 21 outings, he's surrendered four goals in each game of the finals. However, Tortorella feels the issue is that the team in front of Hart needs to play better. The Golden Knights are down 3-2 in the series, so they need to win to force a Game 7 on Wednesday.
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Golden Knights' Jack Eichel: Earns two helpers Thursday
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Eichel logged two assists, including one on the power play, and added two PIM, two hits and four blocked shots in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Eichel played a part in both of Pavel Dorofeyev's goals, but the Golden Knights fell short. They're now behind 3-2 in the series, and Eichel's quiet production has played a part in that. He's been held to four assists over five games against Carolina. Eichel has a total of two goals, 20 helpers, 50 shots on net, 18 hits, 25 blocks, 14 PIM and a plus-5 rating over 21 playoff appearances, and he'll need to be at his best in Sunday's must-win Game 6.
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Golden Knights' Pavel Dorofeyev: Two goals not enough in Game 5 loss
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Dorofeyev scored twice on three shots in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Dorofeyev entered the contest on a six-game point drought. He snapped it with the opening goal at 6:52 of the first period, a power-play tally, and he added an even-strength goal in the third, but the Golden Knights couldn't rally off that. Dorofeyev is up to 12 goals, four assists, 52 shots on net and a plus-3 rating over 21 playoff appearances. Vegas will need him to get hot one more time as the team faces elimination in Game 6 on Sunday.
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Golden Knights' Carter Hart: Can't break four-goal curse
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Hart allowed four goals on 24 shots in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Hart has allowed four goals in each game in this series, and the Golden Knights' offense looks to be wilting under the pressure of having to out-score his mistakes. The 27-year-old took consecutive losses for the first time since the first round with Thursday's loss. He's down to 14-7 this postseason while adding a 2.59 GAA and a .907 save percentage in 21 appearances. Head coach John Tortorella showed no regret in sticking with Hart on Thursday, per Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal, calling an inquiry about a potential switch to Adin Hill a stupid question. That suggests Vegas is likely to ride with Hart in Game 6 on Sunday, pending a potential change in strategy in the next few days. Vegas is one of two teams to have won at least one round while also utilizing just one goalie this postseason.
Golden Knights' William Karlsson: Likely not returning to series
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Karlsson (arm) is unlikely to return to the Stanley Cup Finals after leaving Thursday's Game 5, Chris Johnston of The Athletic reports.
Head coach John Tortorella hinted that Karlsson would not return, though he didn't commit to it fully. That will force a significant shuffle in the lineup, as Karlsson had been occupying a second-line role. It's not yet clear who will step into the lineup for him in Sunday's must-win Game 6.
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Golden Knights' William Karlsson: Leaves arena after injury
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Karlsson left the Lenovo Center after sustaining an apparent arm injury in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Thursday, Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
Karlsson was injured on a hit by Sean Walker in the second period and appeared to be favoring his arm. With his departure from the arena, it's safe to assume Karlsson will not return to the game, and his status for Game 6 in Vegas on Sunday is in doubt. Should the center miss that contest, the Golden Knights have a number of options they could designate to fill Karlsson's second-line spot, including Tomas Hertl, Mitch Marner and Brett Howden. Brandon Saad, Reilly Smith or Braeden Bowman would be the top candidates to enter the lineup.
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Golden Knights' Carter Hart: Guarding goal in Game 5
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Hart will protect the road goal versus the Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Thursday.
Hart has allowed four goals in each game of the series so far, posting an .861 save percentage overall. Despite the poor showing, he's managed to snag a couple of wins. Hart will need to improve between the pipes or get a lot of goal support in this pivotal Game 5 matchup.
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