EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsAsking why the Carolina Hurricanes or Vegas Golden Knights feel the need to get a lead at any point before the final 10 seconds of the third period might be one of the greatest philosophical questions of our lifetimeThe Hurricanes had a pair of two-goal leads before the Golden Knights came back to level the game in the third period. That's when the Hurricanes struck twice in the third period for a 5-3 win in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Golden Knights on Tuesday to tie the series at 2-2.With the series shifting back to Raleigh for Game 5, here's a look at what happened, why it all happened the way it did and what potentially lies ahead the rest of the way. Vegas Golden KnightsGrade: C+Noah Hanifin sustaining what appeared to be an injury in Game 3 led to him being moved to the third pairing. That led to Jeremy Lauzon being elevated to the second defense pairing alongside Rasmus Andersson. Golden Knights coach John Tortorella stuck with that alignment going into the first period of a Game 4 that saw his team fall into an early 2-0 hole.Shea Theodore playing the outlet pass that freed captain Mark Stone for the first goal that cut the Canes' lead to 2-1 was just the start of what looked like another comeback in a series that has been defined by who gets the last goal. While falling into an 0-2 hole was far from ideal, this series has shown there's a path back no matter the deficit. Especially when the second period arrives.The Golden Knights two goals in the second period of Game 4, Vegas has outscored Carolina 9-1 in the second frame. Owning the second period was crucial again Tuesday with William Karlsson cutting the lead to 3-2 within the first five minutes of the period before Brett Howden tied it with less than three minutes remaining.That's what made how Vegas played in the third period a bit surprising. The way they have carved a niche late in games has become a hallmark of how they've made it this far. So to see the third period finish without the Golden Knights doing something? It's a big reason why this series is tied going back to Raleigh.Carolina HurricanesGrade: B-Brandon Bussi replacing Frederik Andersen might not have been too surprising. But to see the Hurricanes have Pyotr Kochetkov, who has been out since late December, serve as the backup with Andersen listed as a healthy scratch? That did come as a shock considering Andersen was a legitimate contender for the Conn Smythe Award entering Game 1. There was also the choice Rod Brind'Amour made to move Jordan Martinook to the first line in exchange for Seth Jarvis, who began the game on the third line.Logan Stankoven scored 66 seconds into the game while Jackson Blake doubled the lead more than two minutes later, accomplishing two things. The first is that the Hurricanes were getting production from two members of a top-six that has struggled with scoring goals throughout the first three games. The second is that they once again built a lead that was likely to come under threat at some point.And it did. Stone started the captain's battle by scoring first before the ageless Jordan Staal scored to restore that two-goal lead. Only for the Hurricanes to fall prey to a second period that has proven to be their collective Achilles' heel.Staal scoring the eventual game-winning goal a little more than six minutes into the third period was massive. So was the empty-net goal by Nikolaj Ehlers that pushed it to a 5-3 lead. But another item of note that was so important was the way the Hurricanes prevented the Golden Knights from mounting a third-period comeback. Especially in the last five minutes, a portion of the game that has seen both teams cause problems for one another.Players to watch in Game 5Pavel DorofeyevRW, Golden KnightsMay 20th was the last time Dorofeyev scored a goal and that was in the Western Conference final against the Colorado Avalanche. May 22nd was the last time he had a point. This is one of the reasons why he began Game 4 on the third line.Dorofeyev has had moments when he's posed a threat in the offensive zone and he had a few of them in Game 4 only to come away with nothing. Dorofeyev scoring 10 goals entering the Stanley Cup Final had him in the discussion to win the Conn Smythe Award.It's possible that it could still happen. But in order for that to happen or for the Golden Knights to enhance their chances of winning the series? They need their leading goal scorer in the regular season to tap into what allowed him to be one of the most dangerous players through the first three rounds.Jordan StaalC, HurricanesScoring two goals in any game of a Stanley Cup Final is going to lead to a player receiving attention. A 37-year-old scoring two goals in any game of a Stanley Cup Final is only going to amplify that attention.What makes Staal's performance stand out beyond the obvious reasons is how he's another example of Carolina's depth. Half of the Hurricanes' goals coming into Game 4 had been scored beyond their top-six forward group. That continued in Game 4 with Staal, a member of that acclaimed supporting cast who has been one of the best players on either team this series.Big questions for Game 5Was Game 4 a one off or was it something more for the Golden Knights?Losses are going to happen. But what made the Golden Knights' latest defeat peculiar was how it lacked some of the characteristics that have come to define them throughout their Stanley Cup final series against the Hurricanes. Those quickfire goals? That was the Canes, and not the Golden Knights. Having a period in which they make the most of their possession? The Golden Knights had a third-period shot share that was 62.5% in 5-on-5 play only to see them fail to score a goal. And when it came to making a late push? They tried but fell short.What does life look like for Brandon Bussi and Frederik Andersen going forward?Bussi stopped 18 of the 21 shots he faced with nine of them coming in a third period that saw the Golden Knights heavily control possession. Carolina was one of those teams that relied on using a tandem to navigate the regular season. Only to then see Andersen play every game in the playoffs before he was pulled in Game 3 and replaced by Bussi.Seeing Kochetkov as the backup while Andersen was listed as a health scratch was a surprise. It's possible that Game 4 was a chance for Andersen to receive a reset given his postseason workload had been among the most demanding of any goaltender to this point. But it's also possible that Bussi could retain the starter's net. Either way? This is another reason why teams have invested in building reliable depth in the net.
