The Carolina Hurricanes’ goaltending situation remains one of the biggest storylines of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, with the crease decision for Game 5 carrying major implications as the series returns to Raleigh tied at 2-2.
As first reported by Emily Kaplan of ESPN, the Hurricanes made a bold move in Game 4, healthy scratching veteran Frederik Andersen in favor of Brandon Bussi. Bussi delivered in his first playoff start, helping Carolina even the series with a road victory.
Andersen, 36, had been rock-solid through the first three rounds, entering the Final with an incredible 12-1 postseason record while leading the Hurricanes past Ottawa, Philadelphia, and Montreal.
However, the Golden Knights’ heavy forecheck, interior pressure, and ability to force him out of position exposed vulnerabilities in the first three games of the series. His performance dipped noticeably, prompting the coaching staff to make a change. Kaplan’s reporting confirmed the scratch was performance-driven, with no injury concerns.
Bussi, 27, emerged as one of the NHL’s feel-good stories in the regular season, posting a 31-6-2 record in 39 appearances. The goaltender had seen limited postseason action until the Final but made a strong impression in relief during Game 3, stopping 18 of 19 shots. His Game 4 start and solid outing have now pushed him firmly into the conversation as the legitimate starting goaltender the rest of the way.
With the series knotted at 2-2, head coach Rod Brind’Amour faces a high-stakes choice between his three goaltenders. With Bussi fresh off a strong relief appearance and a Game 4 win, the younger netminder brings energy, athleticism, and regular-season dominance. Should he turn back to Anderson, the body of work this postseason (despite the series struggles) still commands respect. Then there is Pyotr Kochetkov who served as Bussi’s backup in Game 4 despite his own lengthy absence. His availability adds another layer of fluidity, though he remains the long-shot option.
Brind’Amour has not yet committed to a Game 5 starter, and as reported by Hurricanes beat writer Walt Ruff, all signs are leading toward indicates the call will be made “at some point.”
Bigger question is whether Vegas will sit Hart since he is the worst goaltender ever over the first 4 games of Stanley cup finals and hopefully Carolina fans will again remind him that his perverted actions are not acceptable even if it is ok in Canada.
Definitely a case-study for the next time someone insists: “You MUST have an elite goalie to win a Stanley Cup!” Because there is no elite goalie on either of these teams.
If Rod starts Andersen and he flops, Rod will look awful. If he starts Bussi and he flops, Rod will look bad but not awfully bad. The rule of thumb is that you start whoever won you last game.
Hart has collapsed in the Final. Torts has a decision to make, but because Vegas came out of nowhere, pressure is not at all as high on him as it is on Rod.
I expect Bussi vs Hart.
Not really a question of ” Elite” vs not. A Goalie can be elite for 2 weeks and win you a Cup. The real question here is who’s playing better and the answer is obvious so I don’t even see why there is a question here. Bussi has been better.