Live updates: Canes' comeback falls short in 5-4 2OT loss

In one of the wildest Stanley Cup Final games imaginable, the Carolina Hurricanes rallied from a four-goal deficit only to fall to the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4 in double overtime in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday night.

Conn Smythe favorite Mitch Marner had a hat trick in the second period to help Vegas build a four-goal lead over the Hurricanes. But that seemingly safe advantage didn't last, as Carolina answered with four goals in the third period to force overtime for the second straight game.

• Box Score

Jordan Martinook, Taylor Hall and Jordan Staal scored goals for the Hurricanes to turn what appeared to be a party atmosphere into a white-knuckler for the Golden Knights. Their goals, occurring 39 seconds apart, are the fastest in a Cup Final game.

Andrei Svechnikov jammed in a puck on a six-on-four power play with 1:42 left to force overtime.

Carolina overcame a 2-0 deficit and won Game 2 in overtime when Seth Jarvis scored during a power play 3:56 into the extra frame.

Despite a total of 13 shots for both teams, neither could score in the first overtime, with Vegas goalie Carter Hart stopping six shots and Carolina's Brandon Bussi making seven saves.

The Hurricanes made the comeback after changing goalies to open the third, going with Bussi, who stood tall in making 18 saves. Frederik Andersen had given up those four goals on 16 shots.

Vegas took a 2-1 series lead when Shea Theodore scored 5:38 into the second overtime. Teams that take a 2-1 series lead in the final went on to win the Cup 46 of 57 times, or 80.7%.

Theodore's goal, which went off goalie Brandon Bussi's skate, came long after teammate Marner had the fastest hat trick in Stanley Cup Final history.

It was Carolina's seventh overtime game of the playoffs, and Vegas' fifth trip to extra time.

Carolina saw its road-unbeaten streak end at six during the 2026 NHL Playoffs. It also was the team's first playoff overtime loss after six wins.

The Hurricanes were trying to become the first team to win after trailing by at least four goals in the third period, but now clubs in that situation are 0-109.

"We just left our foot off the gas," Theodore said on the ABC broadcast. "I think we have to be sharper in the third, but I liked the resiliency out of our group. I liked the way we started that second overtime, and I felt like we were more on our toes."

Tomas Hertl broke a scoreless tie midway through the second, after Vegas opened the stanza by having two goals overturned by challenges.

Marner's first goal came when he gathered a loose puck near the boards and fired a backhander into the crease, where Carolina defenseman Sean Walker accidentally deflected the puck past Frederik Andersen.

Less than four minutes later, Marner gracefully deked around Andersen and slipped the puck into the net with relative ease to make it 3-0.

Then, with a little more than three minutes left in the period, the 10-year veteran blasted a shot from the right circle, triggering throngs of hats being thrown on the ice.

"I can't do it by myself, that's for sure," Marner said during a television interview between periods. "All five guys have been on a great page. I've liked our line's play for the last month."

Marner also assisted on Hertl's goal. His four points are tied for the most in a single period since 1919.

Marner's 28 points are the most by any player in NHL history in his first postseason with a new team

The 29-year-old has 10 goals in 19 playoff games with the Golden Knights. He had 13 goals in 70 playoff games during his nine years with Toronto.

Game 4 is Tuesday night in Las Vegas. Watch it live on ABC11.

This story will be updated.

- The Associated Press contributed.

One of the most incredible hockey games ever seen in the Stanley Cup Final refuses to end.

The Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights are going to a second overtime tied at 4.

The winner of Game 3 will take a 2-1 series lead.

They seemed dead in the water.

Once trailing 4-0, and in front of a rocking and rolling with a roaring Las Vegas crowd in their ears, the Carolina Hurricanes got off the mat and punched back with a fury.

First, a Stanley Cup Final record three goals in 39 seconds. Then with just 1:42 left in the game, Andrei Svechnikov pushed the puck into the back of the net on a wild scrum in front of Carter Hart's goal to tie the game at 4-4 and send Game 3 into an improbably overtime period.

There's no quit in these Canes!

Trailing 4-0, Jordan Martinook finally got Carolina on the board at the 7:03 mark, and Taylor Hall and Jordan Staal followed with stunning goals in the next 39 seconds.

The flurry of goals stunned the pro-Vegas crowd at T-Mobile Arena and turned what looked like a foregone conclusion into a possible hockey comeback for the ages.

Long way to go -- 11:46 -- and we've got a game!