Nikolaj Ehlers ignited Carolina’s championship pursuit with a historic first-period surge, netting a lightning-fast opener and a clinical breakaway to dismantle Vegas early in the series opener.
The Carolina Hurricanes couldn't have asked for a better start to the Stanley Cup Final.
Just 25 seconds into the game, Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers kicked off the scoring, taking a puck from the defensive blueline all the way up and finishing past Vegas netminder Carter Hart.
Ehlers' tally was the third fastest Stanley Cup Final opening goal in NHL history and he didn't stop there.
Just over 12 minutes later, Ehlers would get sprung on another breakaway, this time deking out Hart and sliding one through the five-hole to double up the home team's lead.
Ehlers became the first player to score twice in the opening period of a Stanley Cup Final since Al MacInnis in 1989.
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