Hurricanes-Golden Knights updates: ‘Everybody’s available’ for Carolina in Game 5

Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour answered the question Thursday morning almost before it was finished.

No, he said, he had nothing to say about the Canes’ lineup for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights at Lenovo Center.

“Everybody’s available,” he said.

That would mean goalie Frederik Andersen, who missed Game 4 in Las Vegas on Tuesday and was not at Thursday’s morning skate. He did skate earlier Thursday morning, Brind’Amour said.

Brandon Bussi was the Canes’ starter in Game 4 and earned his first career playoff victory as Carolina won 5-3 to even the championship series 2-2. Bussi was in the starter’s crease Thursday — goalie Pyotr Kochetkov also on the ice — and could again be the starter in Game 5.

Kochetkov was the backup in Game 4. Andersen, 36, had started the first 16 games of the playoffs.

Brind’Amour said again Thursday, as he has many times, that he leans on goaltender coach Paul Schonfelder in reaching a final decision on the starter and getting feedback on their play from practice. Brind’Amour said a minute-long conversation with Schonfelder about Andersen on Tuesday resulted in Bussi being the starter.

“He knows those guys. That’s his job,” Brind’Amour said. “Paulie, when it comes to the goaltending, is 100 percent the guy in charge. I would say our views always seem to line up.”

Carter Hart again will be the Vegas starter. Hart has allowed four goals in each of the Stanley Cup Final games, and has not looked overly comfortable in net during a wild series filled with sudden comebacks and momentum shifts. Hart has an .861 save percentage in the series.

Asked Thursday if he had any concerns about Hart’s play, Vegas coach John Tortorella responded: “No., not at all.”

The Canes are seeking to end a trend in the Cup Final that has had the two teams alternate wins since the Golden Knights took Game 1 in Raleigh.

Brind’Amour ‘06 vs Staal 2026?

Another question posed to Brind’Amour, bringing a grin from the coach, is how Brind’Amour in 2006 would have fared against Staal in 2026, center vs center?

“Well ...” Brind’Amour said. “I can tell you, and I forget the years, but I did line up against Jordan Staal in 2009 maybe, and that didn’t go very well.

“I guess that answers that question. I’ll leave it at that.”

Staal was with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, winning the Cup that year as the third center behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Brind’Amour was nearing the end of his career.

Torts takes in Knicks comeback

Tortorella said he was watching Wednesday as the Knicks their incredible comeback to beat the Spurs in the NBA Finals.

“I wanted to go to bed but when it got down to 15, you knew something stupid was going to happen,” he said Thursday. “And I’m just saying the same stupid stuff is happening in our series.”

The Cup Final has made for some tight games, crazy momentum shifts and stupid bounces. Staal scored the game-winner in Game 4 after he fell over his own feet, swatting at the puck. Shea Theodore’s game-winner for Vegas in double-overtime came after a bounce off the end boards that hit Bussi’s left skate.

“There have been a lot of emotional swings, exciting games, and tough games for a player with the ups and downs,” Staal said Thursday.

(Check back for updates during the day and game)

This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 1:03 PM.