LAS VEGAS — The Vegas Golden Knights twice thought they took the lead early in the second period of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes.
And both times the Hurricanes successfully challenged the goals to keep the game scoreless.
Mark Stone's goal from the slot 36 seconds into the period was overturned when Brett Howden was determined to be offside after a video review. Another review wiped off Jack Eichel's rebound goal four minutes in when Rasmus Andersson was called for goalie interference.
It's not the first time this series went against the Golden Knights.
An unsuccessful video challenge by Vegas coach John Tortorella in Game 2 on Thursday night led to a power-play goal by Jordan Staal, whose goal helped the Hurricanes rally to win 4-3 in overtime.
The series is 1-1. Teams that take a 2-1 series lead in the final went on to win the Cup 46 of 57 times, or 80.7%.
The Golden Knights received a major boost when defenseman Brayden McNabb took the ice. He took a puck in the face in the first period Thursday night at Carolina and didn't return to the game. McNabb, who had on a cage to protect his face, is Vegas' best defensive defenseman. He was on the first defensive pair with Shea Theodore.
“I wish I could say it’s shocking, but it’s not," Golden Knights captain Mark Stone said on the ABC broadcast. "Just the way he comes to the rink every day, it’s like nothing happened. He’s one of a kind. They don’t make them like that anymore, that’s for sure.”
This series has been, if anything, unpredictable.
Each team blew two-goal leads in the first two games, with the Golden Knights rallying in the opener and Hurricanes responding with a Game 2 victory in overtime.
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