Hurricanes relentless defense shuts out Golden Knights to capture first Stanley Cup title in 20 years

LAS VEGAS — Carolina spent the first part of the Stanley Cup Final surviving, finding ways to overcome deficits and play a high-scoring game that didn’t fit the Hurricanes’ typical style.But when it came down to doing what it takes to win the Cup, the Hurricanes’ defense put its stamp on this series, shutting down the Vegas Golden Knights and not letting up.The Hurricanes held Vegas to five total goals in Games 4 and 5 and used a suffocating defense in a 3-0 shutout in Sunday night’s clinching Game 6 to win their first championship in 20 years.“That’s a lot of years,” said Carolina center Jordan Staal, who received the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.“It’s amazing.

This is something I’ve been going after ever since we got the first one.You want to win it again and again and again.

What a feeling, what a battle.The boys were grinding today, my goodness.

So many individual efforts just to keep the puck out of our net.It was an amazing ride.

I’m just so proud of these guys.”Brandon Bussi, who entrance late into Game 3 helped turn around the series for Carolina, recorded his first career playoff shutout in stopping 22 shots.Jackson Blake had a goal and assist, and Taylor Hall scored just 3:47 into the game to set the tone.

Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-net goal.“Your mind wanders the last couple of days and wonder what it may be like out here (on ice after winning) and it’s better than I could have expected,” Hall said.“My career has taken a lot of different turns, but to end up here with this group of guys and to do this is amazing.”The Golden Knights, who made an unlikely run just to reach the final, struggled badly to muster any kind of offense in Game 6 and went 18:37 between shots on goal in the second and third periods.

Playing in their third Cup final, this is the first time they have been shut out.This clinching game was what many observers expected the series to be like between the defensive-minded teams, but each si...