Vegas Golden Knights win Game 3 in double OT thriller, take lead over Carolina Hurricanes

The Vegas Golden Knights seized a crucial 2-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final, outlasting the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in a thrilling double-overtime Game 3. The victory, secured on home ice at the T-Mobile Arena, saw Shea Theodore score the decisive goal just 5 minutes and 38 seconds into the second overtime period.

What appeared to be a comfortable win for Vegas turned into a nail-biting affair. The Golden Knights built a commanding 4-0 lead through two periods, with goals from Tomas Hertl and a historic, rapid-fire hat trick from Mitch Marner. Marner's three consecutive goals in just over six minutes set a new NHL Final record for the fastest hat trick, and he became the first player in Final history to record four points in a single period.

However, the Hurricanes staged a remarkable comeback in the third period. Jordan Martinook, Taylor Hall, Jordan Staal, and Andrei Svechnikov each found the back of the net, erasing the four-goal deficit and forcing overtime. This comeback marked Carolina as only the second team in Stanley Cup Final history to overcome a four-goal deficit, and they achieved it with three rapid-fire goals in just 39 seconds, breaking a 72-year-old record previously held by the Montreal Canadiens.

Vegas goaltender Adin Hill made 29 saves, while Carolina's Frederik Andersen was pulled after allowing four goals on 16 shots. His replacement, Pyotr Kochetkov, stopped 18 of 19 shots but ultimately couldn't prevent Theodore's game-winner. The series now shifts back to Las Vegas for Game 4.

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It was a real treat with nine goals.