NHL picks: Pavel Dorofeyev among best bets for Game 5 of 2026 Stanley Cup Final

SportsLine NHL analyst Scott Erskine gives an overview of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final matchup between Carolina and Vegas in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Jun 10, 2026 at 4:16 pm ET • 5 min read

The first four games of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final are proof that no lead is safe in sports, especially hockey. The Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights each have had a pair of multi-goal advantages in the series and all four were erased, with each club ultimately prevailing in one game and finishing the other with a comeback victory.

The Hurricanes and Golden Knights both look to move within one victory of the championship when they face off Thursday in Game 5 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Carolina evened the series at two wins apiece with a 5-3 road triumph on Tuesday.

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Carolina squandered a 2-0 lead and went on to lose the series opener, while Vegas did the same in Game 2, which was decided in overtime. The Golden Knights had what seemed to be a commanding 4-0 advantage in Game 3, thanks in part to Mitchell Marner's natural hat trick in the second period. Despite an amazing comeback by the Hurricanes in the third, featuring a three-goal outburst in a 39-second span, Vegas posted a double-OT victory.

With goaltender Brandon Bussi making his first postseason start in place of Frederik Andersen, Carolina scored twice in the first 3:28 of Game 4 to take control. Vegas rallied in the second period to wipe away a 3-1 deficit, but Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal netted his second tally of the game -- and fifth of the Final -- at 6:32 of the third. Nikolaj Ehlers capped a three-point performance and sealed the win with an empty-netter in the final minute.

Jackson Blake registered a goal and an assist in Game 4 for Carolina, while William Karlsson did the same for Vegas. Logan Stankoven netted his team-high 11th tally for the Hurricanes, and Brett Howden scored his playoff-leading 14th goal for the Golden Knights, giving him four in the series and at least one in 12 of his last 17 contests.

Marner is the favorite to capture the Conn Smythe Trophy, as he is the playoff leader in points (29) and assists (19) and is tied with teammate Pavel Dorofeyev for third in goals (10). The 29-year-old right wing, who has collected eight of his points in the Stanley Cup Final, is priced between -105 and -145 at the major sportsbooks to earn the honor.

Staal is a longshot, with odds ranging from +500 to +1200, but if he continues to produce in the series and the Hurricanes win their first Cup since 2006, he could receive stronger consideration. The 37-year-old center, who was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins' 2009 championship team, has scored in each of the first four games of the Final and five of his last six postseason outings after recording just one goal over Carolina's first 11 contests.

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour must decide on a starting goalie for Game 5, but it would be difficult to argue against Bussi. The 27-year-old, who posted a 31-6-2 record with two shutouts and a 2.47 goals-against average in his first regular season in the NHL after being claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers in October, turned aside 18 shots on Tuesday. That included all nine he faced in the third period as he joined Alfie Moore (1938 Chicago Black Hawks) and Hank Bassen (1961 Detroit Red Wings) as the only netminders to make their first career playoff start in a Stanley Cup Final and notch the win.

Vegas' John Tortorella has no such dilemma as Carter Hart will be in the crease for the Golden Knights. Hart is fourth in league in postseason save percentage (.912), but the 27-year-old is the first goalie in NHL history to allow at least four goals in each of the first four games of a Final.

The NHL betting odds at the major sportsbooks see the Hurricanes as favorites in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, as they are listed at about -155. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights are priced around +127. Learn how to read betting odds here.

Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights Game 5 best bets

Pavel Dorofeyev: Anytime goalscorer (+270, BetMGM)

I would like to back Staal to score, as he is priced at +400 at BetMGM, but I'm not sure the veteran can make it five consecutive games with a goal. Instead, I'm going with Dorofeyev to end his lengthy drought. The 25-year-old Russian right wing has gone seven straight contests without tallying after scoring six times during a four-game streak. His playing time has suffered as a result of his struggles, as he took only 16 shifts in Game 4 after having at least 20 in each of his previous six outings. That's got to be a bit of a blow to his ego, which should inspire him to perform better and finally break through for the first time since the opener of the Western Conference Final on May 20.

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Shayne Gostisbehere: 1+ points (+110, DraftKings)

Nicknamed "Ghost Bear," the 33-year-old leads Carolina's defense corps this postseason with 10 points. That has him tied for seventh on the team with Seth Jarvis, who finished the regular season one point shy of his career high of 67. It also is one point fewer than Sebastian Aho, who led the Hurricanes in 2025-26 with 80, and one more than Andrei Svechnikov, who set a career high with 70 this campaign. Gostisbehere landed on the score sheet in just one of Carolina's first 10 playoff games but has done so in six of his last seven contests. K'Andre Miller is the team's second-leading scorer among defensemen with nine points, but he's notched just one over hist last five outings, so I like Gostisbehere to continue his production from the blue line.

Over 6.5 total goals (+114, DraftKings)

Carolina and Vegas have combined for 33 goals thus far, which matches the 1980 Stanley Cup Final between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders for the third-highest in NHL history through four games. At least seven goals have been scored in each contest thus far, and Hart's 3.60 GAA in the series leaves plenty to be desired. In addition, he has yet to post a shutout since returning to the NHL this season, with his last coming on Oct. 17, 2023 while with Philadelphia. Meanwhile, at least seven goals were scored in each of the last three contests at the Lenovo Center. The Hurricanes have netted four or more tallies in each of their last six overall games and at least three in eight straight, and the Golden Knights are in the midst of a six-game trend that has seen them score five goals in alternate contests. If the pattern continues, they'll hit that number in Game 5, so all the signs point to another high-scoring affair.