Brind'Amour Keeps Hurricanes' Goalie Decision Under Wraps Before Game 4 Of Cup Final
LAS VEGAS - The two-day break between Games 3 and 4 has given everyone in the Carolina Hurricanes orbit plenty of time to debate the most obvious question in the Stanley Cup final.
Rod Brind'Amour is not joining that conversation publicly.
As the team took the ice for practice Monday at T-Mobile Arena, goalie Frederik Andersen was not on the ice for maintenance. Brandon Bussi, the 27-year-old who delivered a strong relief outing in Game 3, took the majority of the starter's reps in the crease. William Carrier also returned to the ice after getting banged up in the 5-4 double-overtime loss on Saturday.
Hurricanes Face Difficult Call For Starting Goalie Against Golden Knights In Game 4
After Brandon Bussi's excellent performance in relief for Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour has a decision to make in his crease. Should he start Bussi or Andersen in Game 4?
Andersen has been the steady presence who carried Carolina through three playoff rounds, but he has looked a step slow against Vegas' speed and skill in the Cup final.
Bussi's athleticism and quicker feet gave the team a different look in relief and appeared to energize the skaters around him.
With the series now at 2-1 for Vegas, the choice for Game 4 carries real weight. A win would even things up and steal back momentum on the road. A loss would put the Hurricanes in a 3-1 hole against a Golden Knights team that has shown it can close out opportunities.
In many ways, this is a must-win for Carolina. In the history of their franchise, they have never won a game down 3-1 in the series. They've only been down 3-1 twice. One of those was the 2002 Stanley Cup final, when they fell to the Detroit Red Wings in five games.
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This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 3:19 PM.