The Carolina Hurricanes are teetering on the edge of a 3-1 series deficit against the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final, and now a bombshell development from practice has fans and insiders buzzing. According to reports, starting goaltender Frederik Andersen was noticeably absent from the ice during the team’s practice session — and the man who replaced him in net during Game 3, Brandon Bussi, was seen taking the starter’s crease.
Chris Johnston of The Athletic posted on X, formerly Twitter, that there was no sign of Andersen on the ice, with Bussi firmly in the starter’s spot. This comes after Andersen was pulled in Game 3 following a second-period meltdown where he allowed four goals on just 16 shots. Bussi came in cold — having not played since April 14 — and stopped 18 of 19 shots, including a penalty shot, to help the Hurricanes force double overtime.
Sources close to the situation claim that this could be more than just a maintenance day. Elliotte Friedman also noted Andersen’s absence, but hedged by calling it a “maintenance day.” However, with the Hurricanes facing elimination if they lose Game 4, insiders say the team is reportedly weighing a major goalie switch. “It’s a desperate time,” one unnamed insider told us. “You can’t ignore what Bussi did. The locker room believes in him.”
Andersen’s numbers in the series have been shaky at best — a .783 save percentage in Game 1 and another rocky outing in Game 2 before the Game 3 collapse. While the team managed to win Game 2 despite his struggles, the pressure is mounting. If Bussi gets the nod in Game 4, it would be a massive gamble but one that could ignite the Hurricanes’ comeback hopes.
Fans and analysts are now speculating: Could this be the shakeup that changes the entire series? Or is it just a precautionary day off for Andersen? One thing is certain — the Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup dreams are hanging by a thread, and the move they make in net could define their fate.
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