John Tortorella was clearly unhappy after the Vegas Golden Knights missed a big chance in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. Vegas fought back and tied the game 3-3 in the second period. A win would have given them a strong 3-1 lead in the series.

Instead, the Carolina Hurricanes took advantage of a defensive mistake in the third period and won 5-3, tying the series 2-2. After the game, Tortorella told reporters that the key moment was the play that led to Jordan Staal’s game-winning goal.

“The frustrating part for me is they didn't earn their winning goal,” Tortorella said.

The Knights' coach was talking about a turnover that gave Seth Jarvis a good scoring chance near the net. Goaltender Carter Hart made an important save, but Tortorella felt the Vegas Golden Knights did not recover well on defense after that play.

“Right after that, we make another mistake,” he explained. “We leave the front of the net.”

The Carolina Hurricanes kept control of the puck and moved it around the offensive zone. They eventually got the puck to Jordan Staal near the crease.

Even while falling to the ice, the Hurricanes captain was able to slide the puck past Carter Hart for what became the game-winning goal.

“It’s just for free,” Tortorella said. “It’s a hard one for me in the third period.”

Tortorella’s comments quickly drew attention because they suggested the goal came from Vegas mistakes more than Carolina’s execution. The play showed how small moments can decide playoff games.

Now the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes are tied 2-2, with momentum shifting toward Carolina.

Early Mistakes Proved Costly Despite Vegas Comeback

While the third-period mistake received most of John Tortorella’s attention, he also criticized how the Vegas Golden Knights started the game. The Knights gave up two goals in the first five minutes and had trouble stopping the Carolina Hurricanes around the front of the net.

One early problem came when Vegas took a too-many-men penalty. Carolina took advantage of the power play, and Jordan Staal scored again by putting in a rebound near the crease.

“We have him, but then we let him off the hook,” Tortorella said. “He's killing us in front of the net. We have to do a better job around the blue.”

Even after the loss, John Tortorella praised the effort of the Vegas Golden Knights for fighting back and tying the game. Vegas created pressure later in the game and gave itself a chance to take control of the series, but it could not complete the comeback.

“I liked the push,” Tortorella noted, “but we don't get it done.”

Now, with the series tied 2-2, the Carolina Hurricanes have taken back home-ice advantage going into Game 5. For John Tortorella, the main focus is making sure his players quickly move on from the disappointment.

Let’s see how things unfold in Game 5. What do you think? Did John Tortorella fairly assess Game 4, or did he overlook how well the Carolina Hurricanes executed under pressure?

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Written by

Kapil Manghnani