RALEIGH, N.C. — Vegas Golden Knights coach John Tortorella said Friday he remains confident in his team’s ability to extend the Stanley Cup Final despite facing elimination in Game 6 against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday in Las Vegas, according to comments made during a news conference. The Hurricanes hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series after a 4-2 victory in Game 5 on Thursday.
Tortorella said his players have experience handling high-pressure situations and are focused on winning one game to force a decisive Game 7.
“They’ve been through it all,” Tortorella said. “They know what’s at stake here. We need to win one game. They’ll be ready to play.”
The Golden Knights, Stanley Cup champions in 2023, are seeking to become the first team in this year’s playoffs to rally from an elimination scenario. The series shifts back to Las Vegas for Game 6, with a potential Game 7 scheduled in Raleigh if Vegas wins on Sunday.
Vegas enters the game with questions surrounding its lineup after center William Karlsson left Game 5 with an upper-body injury. Team officials have not provided extensive details on his condition, though reports indicated his availability for the remainder of the series was uncertain.
The Hurricanes moved within one win of the championship by capitalizing on special-teams opportunities in Game 5. Carolina scored twice on the power play and received two goals from Andrei Svechnikov, while Vegas was unable to overcome defensive lapses and penalty trouble.
Despite the setback, Tortorella publicly expressed confidence that the series would return to North Carolina for a seventh game.
“We’ll be back here,” he said after the loss in Raleigh. “I’m going to leave my clothes here, that’s for sure. In the hotel.”
Carolina, coached by Rod Brind’Amour, is attempting to secure its first Stanley Cup title since 2006. The Hurricanes regained control of the series after winning Games 4 and 5 and now have two opportunities to clinch the championship.
As of Friday, the Golden Knights were preparing for Sunday’s must-win contest, while Karlsson’s status remained unclear. The outcome of Game 6 will determine whether the Stanley Cup Final ends in Las Vegas or returns to Raleigh for a deciding game.
