Golden Knights beat Hurricanes 5-4 in 2OT in Game 3 after blowing 4-goal lead

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A four-goal lead in what has been a wacky, compelling and highly entertaining Stanley Cup Final nearly wasn't enough for the Golden Knights on Saturday night.

A four-goal, third-period rally by the Hurricanes nearly made NHL history and in process sent shockwaves through T-Mobile Arena.

And this game ended in a way perhaps befitting all the craziness, a shot from Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore off the skate of Brandon Bussi — the backup goalie put in the game in the third period after not playing for two months — that went into the net at 5:38 of double overtime to give the Golden Knights a 5-4 victory over Carolina.

“I have experienced a lot of games in playoffs,” Golden Knights coach John Tortorella said. “I haven't experienced one like this.”

Almost overlooked was the four-point night by Vegas' Mitch Marner, who also produced the fastest hat trick in Cup Final history.

The Golden Knights took a 2-1 series lead. The teams take two days off before meeting in Game 4 on Tuesday night in Las Vegas. Teams with a 2-1 series lead went on to win the Cup 46 of 57 times, or 80.7%.

Carolina had been 6-0 in overtime this postseason. The Hurricanes were trying to become the first team to win after trailing by at least four goals in the third period, but now clubs in that situation are 0-109.

“We just left our foot off the gas,” Theodore said on the ABC broadcast. “I think we have to be sharper in the third, but I liked the resiliency out of our group. I liked the way we started that second overtime, and I felt like we were more on our toes.”

This was the 10th time the first three games of a Cup Final were decided by a point. The last time was in 2016 between Pittsburgh and San Jose.

The Golden Knights seemed to have it in hand after scoring four times in the second, including a natural hat trick by Marner.

But Jordan Martinook, Taylor Hall and Jordan Staal scored goals for the Hurricanes. Their goals, occurring 39 seconds apart, are the fastest three in a Cup Final game.

Andrei Svechnikov jammed in a puck on a six-on-four power play with 1:42 left to force overtime.

“I love that we feel like we can come back from anything, but you can’t put yourself in a hole like we did,” Martinook said. “The second period, for them to come out like that and take total control of the game, it’s something that can’t happen, especially this time.”

Marner’s scoring outburst came over a 6:10 stretch of the second period, and he had four points in the period. He had the secondary assist on Tomas Hertl’s goal midway through the period.

The last time a player had four points in a period of the Cup final was in 1919 when Frank Foyston of the Seattle Metropolitans pulled off that feat.

Marner nearly added to the total in the third period, but failed to capitalize on a breakaway and a penalty shot. Those missed chances came back to bite the Golden Knights.

The Hurricanes made the comeback after changing goalies to open the third, going with Bussi, who made 18 saves. Frederik Andersen had given up those four goals on 16 shots.

Carolina also rallied without forward and former Golden Knight William Carrier, who had an upper-body injury in the second period.

Vegas’ Carter Hart stopped 29 shots.

Vegas twice thought it took the lead early in the second period, but the Hurricanes successfully challenged both goals to keep the game scoreless.

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 Theodore.

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Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson (71) and Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) celebrate after Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore scored against Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) during the second overtime in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi, right, is scored on by Carolina Hurricanes left wing Nikolaj Ehlers as defenseman Alexander Nikishin watches during the second overtime in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)

Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson (71) and Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) celebrate after Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore scored against Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) during the second overtime in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone celebrates after the Golden Knights won in the second overtime in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov, center, celebrates his goal with defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, left, and center Sebastian Aho during the third period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) celebrates his goal with right wing Seth Jarvis (24) and center Jordan Staal (11) as he steps over Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (5) during the third period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner, center, celebrates his goal with center William Karlsson, left, during the second period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner, left, celebrates his goal with center Tomas Hertl during the second period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner, left, celebrates his third goal for a hat trick with center Tomas Hertl during the second period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, right, stops a shot by Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner during the second period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner, left, celebrates his goal as Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker, right, skates behind during the second period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb is seen with a cage on his helmet during the first period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)

Carolina Hurricanes right wing Seth Jarvis shoots the puck during the first period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Vegas Golden Knights' Mark Stone (61) celebrates with Pavel Dorofeyev (16) after scoring against the Carolina Hurricanes to tie in the third period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)

Carolina Hurricanes' Jordan Martinook (48), Seth Jarvis (24), Shayne Gostisbehere (4), and Logan Stankoven (22) ceelbrate after Jarvis scored the game-winning goal against against the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Masyn Winn hit a home run and doubled twice and Kyle Leahy gave up three hits and struck out six in five innings as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 on Tuesday night.

Riley O’Brien pitched the ninth for his 32nd save. It was the 12th time the Reds have been shut out this season and the Cardinals' ninth shutout win.

It's the first time Winn had two doubles in a game since July 28, 2025 against the Marlins.

Cardinals left fielder Joshua Báez went 0 for 3 with an RBI on a sacrifice fly. He’s now 0 for 17 with seven strikeouts since his three-homer day at Wrigley Field on Saturday.

Leahy (10-4) threw 90 pitches. It was his 10th straight start allowing two earned runs or fewer.

Winn's homer off left-hander Andrew Abbott (6-8) in the fifth put the Cardinals ahead 1-0. It was Winn's fifth homer of the season and his first since July 3. It was also the first homer allowed by Abbott in 23 1/3 innings dating to July 26.

Winn's second double came with one out in the seventh. He scored when José Fermín followed with a double to make the score 2-0.

Abbott, who surrendered one hit and didn't walk a batter through the first 4 1/3 innings, allowed two earned runs on four hits. He walked two and struck out six in 6 1/3 innings.

Jordan Walker singled and scored on Báez's sacrifice fly to extend the Cardinals' lead to 3-0 in the eighth.

Cardinals LHP Matthew Liberatore (5-10, 5.07 ERA) will face Reds RHP Chase Burns (14-2, 2.47) on Wednesday.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

St. Louis Cardinals' Masyn Winn rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott throws during the second inning of a baseball game between against the St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Kyle Leahy throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

St. Louis Cardinals' Masyn Winn hits a solo home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)