Bussi or Andersen? Carolina Hurricanes face multiple questions ahead of Game 4
Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour was mum Sunday when asked about his starting goalie for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Brandon Bussi replaced starter Frederik Andersen after the second period of Game 3 on Saturday after the Golden Knights had grabbed a 4-0 lead. Bussi, in his first career playoff game, made several sparkling saves before a bad bounce on a Shea Theodore shot got past him for the winning goal in the second overtime as Vegas pulled out a 5-4 win.
Brind’Amour, on a media call Sunday, first said he did not anticipate any lineup changes Tuesday in Game 4 at T-Mobile Arena. That seemed to indicate Andersen would make his 17th consecutive start of the playoffs and Bussi again would be the backup as the Canes seek to even the best-of-seven series.
But Brind’Amour later in the call said final decisions on the lineup would not be made until after a team practice Monday. On Andersen, he said, “We’ll see how he’s feeling.”
Forward William Carrier left Game 3 with an upper-body injury, but Brind’Amour said he was “hopeful” the physical winger would be able to play Tuesday. In a game filled with contact and hard checks, several players showed discomfort and some briefly left Saturday’s game — defenseman Jalen Chatfield once was knocked into an open door at the Vegas bench.
Having witnessed a flurry of offensive brilliance from the Knights’ Mitch Marner, who had a natural hat trick in the second period, the Canes responded with a stunning four-goal comeback in the third to force overtime.
Losing a game on a Marner goal — which would have been the winger’s fourth — or have Vegas captain Mark Stone punch in the winner would have been one thing. Tough to handle, for sure, but more manageable moving forward.
But to have Theodore wing a long shot toward the net, the defenseman badly missing it, only to have the puck ricochet off the end boards and off Bussi’s leg was one of the worst ways for a team to lose.
“It’s hockey,” Brind’Amour said after the game.
‘You just have to deal with it
In reviewing Game 3 on Sunday, Brind’Amour said the Canes had a “good road game going” midway through the second period.
“The first period, they had one scoring chance,” he said. “We were doing what we needed to do and then the penalty that we took kind of flipped the game a little bit because they scored on it.”
The Canes were called for too many men on the ice in the second period and the Golden Knights scored on the power play for a 1-0 lead. Marner took it from there with his natural hat trick that included one goal when his cross-ice pass went off the stick of Canes defenseman Sean Walker in front of the crease and past Andersen.
“They get the momentum, then they get a break,” Brind’Amour said. “Then you’re starting to chase the game a little bit.
“We let Marner get behind us a couple of times and that’s been a common theme. We have to know when he’s on the ice because that’s kind of the way he likes to play. If we eliminate those ‘freebies’ and take them out it would definitely help.”
It’s hard to say what kind of effect such a loss will have. They can linger, eat at a team.
“Probably the toughest game I’ve ever lost,” said forward Andrei Svechnikov, whose late power-play goal tied the score, 4-4.
Taking the game into double overtime meant that Canes defensemen K’Andre Miller and Sean Walker each played more than 33 minutes in Game 3 — Walker with a team-high 34:20. Jaccob Slavin was on the ice for almost 30 minutes and Chatfield more than 28.
Among the forwards, Seth Jarvis had more than 27 minutes in ice time and absorbed several hard hits. Svechnikov had almost 26 minutes and Sebastian Aho 25.
“It’s tough in a game like that where you have that many extra minutes and not have the full group,” Brind’Amour said after the game. “But that’s part of it and you just have to deal with it.”
‘It’s never going to be easy’
The Golden Knights were all smiles after winning their first home game in the Cup Final — dodging what could have been a killer loss — and their energy level shouldn’t dip.
Vegas coach John Tortorella, on a media call Sunday, said his team would be off the ice Sunday and practice Monday to “move the blood,” noting the extra day should help them mentally after a “crazy” first three games.
“It’s a very experienced team that understands the level they need to be at,” he said.
Tortorella mentioned the “wild momentum swings” in the first three games and the increased physicality the Knights had in Game 3.
“Playoffs, I think all teams try to add a physical element to their games,” Tortorella said. “Both teams are doing it. It’s just part of the game
“Does it give you a major help? It depends on the momentum of the games, depends on certain situations in the game. But that’s the greatest thing about playoff hockey, that type of play. Both teams bring it, and I’m sure will continue doing it as the series goes on.”
The Canes followed a Game 1 loss to Vegas by winning the second game at home. They’ll look to do the same in Game 4 for a 2-2 tie before going back to Raleigh for Game 5 at Lenovo Center.
“It’s playoff hockey,” Canes captain Jordan Staal said. “It’s part of the gig and it’s never easy. It’s never going to be easy, and we know that and understand that.”
Added Brind’Amour on Sunday: “The games are tight, and we’ve got to keep pushing through. Both teams understand how they have to play and you’ve got to stick with it.”
This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Bussi or Andersen? Carolina Hurricanes face multiple questions ahead of Game 4."
