Tortorella doubles down on Carter Hart as Golden Knights face elimination in Game 6

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Golden Knights coach John Tortorella is sticking with Carter Hart against the Hurricanes even though he is the first goalie to give up four goals in each of the first five games of a Stanley Cup Final.

The teams meet in Game 6 on Sunday, and the Stanley Cup will be in T-Mobile Arena with Carolina up 3-2 and having a chance to close out the best-of-seven series over Vegas.

Tortorella, who previously coached Hart in Philadelphia, has been perhaps his staunchest defender.

“Because I know him,” Tortorella said Saturday. “I know there's a better game in him. I've seen it throughout the playoffs. Yeah, I think he's a very good goalie. We've got to do a better job around him, too. You can look at the numbers, and you guys (media), that's what you do. You spit out those numbers, but I've got to look at things differently and watch the play going on around him and what type of goals are being scored.”

Vegas' defense has not been sharp in this series, and Hart has been faced with a number of difficult shots. Carolina's Jordan Staal has exploited being able to station himself in front of the crease, scoring at least one goal in each game.

Hart, however, is a major reason the Golden Knights are even in this series.

He went 12-4 over the first three rounds, allowing 2.22 goals per game with a .924 save percentage. Against the Hurricanes, the GAA is 3.70 and the save percentage is .856.

“I haven't been at my best this series,” Hart said. “I'll be better next game and ready to go.”

Hart was made available to the media Saturday for just the second time this series. He also took part in the NHL-mandated media day before the final began. Even then, he didn't stay for the full 15-minute session after reportedly being asked a question about his return to play after and he four other players from the 2018 Canada world junior were acquitted last July of sexual assault.

The NHL ruled those players were eligible to sign deals beginning Oct. 15 and to play starting Dec. 1. Hart signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Golden Knights, who have limited his media availabilities.

Being back in the league made Hart a polarizing figure, and in Carolina, he has been met with “no means no” chants from the crowd.

“It's just noise,” Hart said. “Both atmospheres in both buildings have been really loud and just a lot of fun to play in.”

Golden Knights fans have largely embraced Hart, and the roars for him during pregame introductions only grew as Vegas advanced through the postseason.

The crowd also was behind Adin Hill during the 2023 Cup run that resulted in a championship. But now Hill has spent the past two months as a spectator while Hart mans the crease.

Tortorella was asked after Thursday's 4-2 loss at Carolina about the possibility to putting Hill in that game.

“That could be the stupidest question I’ve heard,” Tortorella snapped.

It's a question, however, that isn't going away.

One of two things can change that.

The Hurricanes could wrap up the series Sunday, putting the question more on hold. Attention at Vegas would quickly shift to the offseason and whether to bring back Tortorella. He replaced Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the regular season without the promise of anything beyond the playoffs.

The other is Hart regains his earlier form in the playoffs and is a key reason there will be a Game 7.

It's difficult to ignore the contrast in situations. One of the series' turning points occurred when Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour changed goalies while down 4-0 entering the third period of Game 3, and Brandon Bussi hasn't left the net yet as Carolina forced overtime that night in an eventual loss and then won Games 4 and 5.

“They've gotten some lucky bounces, and there's a few plays that I've got to make some more saves,” Hart said. “I've just got to prepare the same way as any other game, and I'll be ready to go.”