Carolina Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers recorded three assists in Game 5. But he also took two delay-of-game penalties after shooting the puck over the glass. Afterward, Ehlers had the perfect response to his penalties.
“Personally, that was probably my worst game of the whole playoffs,” he said at the postgame press conference before joking with the reporters.
The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4–2 in Game 5 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. They are now just one win away from capturing their first Stanley Cup since 2006.
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Jordan Staal scored again
The Hurricanes have now won two straight games and have put the Golden Knights on the brink of elimination. Game 5 also saw Jordan Staal score for the fifth game in a row, making him the first player to accomplish that feat since 1973, when Yvan Cournoyer did it for the Montreal Canadiens.
“Doing it at his age just says a lot about him. He’s our guy and he’s our warrior, and I’m really happy for him,” Carolina head coach Rod Brind’Amour said after the game, according to NHL.com.
Nikolaj Ehlers funny press conference
Meanwhile, Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers contributed three assists, setting up Carolina’s first, second, and fourth goals. However, he also took two delay-of-game penalties after shooting the puck over the glass.
The first penalty proved costly, as Pavel Dorofeyev scored on the ensuing power play to give Vegas a 1–0 lead. Still, Ehlers was able to laugh about his performance afterward.
“Personally, that was probably my worst game of the whole playoffs. I’m excited, but not excited, to see my dad after the game tonight. He’s been a hockey coach for the last 25 years,” Ehlers joked at the press conference.
Game 6 will be played on Sunday in Vegas.
You can watch the interview below.
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