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 Sunday night in 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.
"Brandon Bussi, whose entrance late in Game 3 helped turn around the series, had 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-netter."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.The Golden Knights 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 final game was what many observers expected the series to be like between the defensive-minded teams, but each side watched leads of two-plus goals disappear in the first three games.Now, the Cup belongs to the Hurricanes, led by coach Rod Brind'Amour, who also captained Carolina to its 2006 title."It's just as awesome," Brind'Amour said.
"But as a player, it was a little different.I worked and dreamt of winning the Cup my whole life, so that was like a piano came off my back.
This time around, I wanted it for the group."This was the first g...