RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Vegas Golden Knights are 20 minutes away from a 2-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final.
Vegas leads Carolina 2-0 through two periods of Game 2, thanks to two more goals from postseason standout star Brett Howden, who now leads all players in the playoffs with 13. The first came after a perfect backhanded flip pass from Mitch Marner and the second when Howden got past Jaccob Slavin and beat Frederik Andersen on just his team's second shot Thursday night.
Howden scored 12 goals in 58 regular-season games. Asked after the series opener earlier this week what it takes to elevate play this time of year, Howden responded: “Who's that? Oh, me.”
“I don’t know,” Howden said. “Playoffs is just so much fun. It’s the best time of year. Everything on the line every shift, especially right now in the finals. Every play matters so much. I don’t know what it is. I’ve always really enjoyed it.”
The Golden Knights lost key defensive defenseman Brayden McNabb just past the midway point of the first period. McNabb took a puck to the face off a slap shot from Nikolaj Ehlers, dropped to the ice, skated immediately off the ice holding his nose and did not return after the first intermission.
Ben Hutton or Kaedan Korczak figures to go in if McNabb cannot play in Game 3 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
The Hurricanes were held without a goal through the first two periods for the first time in 49 games. Their power play, a source of frustration for weeks, went 0 for 2 and is 7 for 60 in the playoffs.
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