Carolina survived a wild Game 4, outlasting Vegas 5-3 to even the Stanley Cup Final at 2-2. Jordan Staal scored twice including the decisive goal in the third period, while Brandon Bussi made 18 saves in his first playoff start after replacing Frederik Andersen. The Hurricanes built two-goal leads on goals from Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake, but watched Vegas rally both times before Staal's winner.

Andersen's absence from the lineup entirely was the night's biggest surprise. The veteran netminder had started every playoff game before being pulled in Game 3, only to see Pyotr Kochetkov serve as backup with Andersen scratched healthy. Bussi stabilized the position despite facing heavy pressure in the third period when the Golden Knights dominated possession.

Vegas showed their characteristic resilience, erasing deficits through Mark Stone's goal and William Karlsson's strike. However, the Golden Knights couldn't complete another comeback despite controlling 62.5% of third-period shots. Their second-period dominance continued with two goals, making them 9-1 in that frame for the series.

The series shifts to Raleigh for Game 5 with questions about goaltending stability and whether Pavel Dorofeyev can rediscover his scoring touch. At 37, Staal's two-goal performance highlighted Carolina's depth scoring that has kept them alive.