- Game 1: Tuesday, June 2, 8 p.m. ET on ABC in Raleigh
- Carolina earned home ice with 113 points, the East’s best record
- Read below for the full schedule and how both teams got here
Tuesday it is.
NHL released the full 2026 Stanley Cup Final schedule Friday night, locking in a Vegas Golden Knights-Carolina Hurricanes matchup that starts in Raleigh. Game 1 drops at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, with Sportsnet, CBC, and TVA Sports carrying the series in Canada.
Carolina holds home ice after finishing with the East’s best regular-season record at 53-22-7 (113 points). The Hurricanes get Games 1, 2, 5, and 7. Vegas hosts 3, 4, and 6.
Here’s the full slate. Every game starts at 8 p.m. ET:
- Game 1: Vegas at Carolina, Tuesday, June 2
- Game 2: Vegas at Carolina, Thursday, June 4
- Game 3: Carolina at Vegas, Saturday, June 6
- Game 4: Carolina at Vegas, Tuesday, June 9
- Game 5: Vegas at Carolina, Thursday, June 11 (if necessary)
- Game 6: Carolina at Vegas, Sunday, June 14 (if necessary)
- Game 7: Vegas at Carolina, Wednesday, June 17 (if necessary)
For Carolina, this is the franchise’s first trip to the Final since 2006, when Rod Brind’Amour lifted the Cup as captain. He’s now the head coach, and his group needed five games to put away Montreal in the East Final.
Vegas got here a different way. John Tortorella took over March 29 after Bruce Cassidy was fired with eight games left, and the Knights went 7-0-1 to finish the regular season. They haven’t slowed down since, capping a four-game Western Final sweep of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche. They’re four wins from a second Cup in four years.
Goaltending shapes up as the headline matchup. Frederik Andersen has been the difference for Carolina, holding Montreal to one goal across the last three games of the East Final. Carter Hart has won six straight starts for Vegas and was named NHLPA Performer of the Series in the Western Final.
First puck is Tuesday.
