Two factions of former Philadelphia Flyers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers] have been pitted against each other in the Stanley Cup Final, but only one end is living up to their end of the bargain so far. With a 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night, the Carolina Hurricanes are in the driver's seat to win their first Stanley Cup in 20 years, taking a 3-2 series lead. They've managed that on the strength of longtime Flyers nemesis Jordan Staal, the Hurricanes' captain who has scored in each of the first five games of the series, making him the first player to do so since Rocket Richard in 1956 Additionally, Staal's five-game scoring streak is tied for the longest such streak in Stanley Cup Final history. The wily vet has been historically great for the Canes when it matters most, while a former Flyers goalie at the other end of the ice has been historically terrible. On Tuesday night, after allowing five goals in a 5-3 loss to the Hurricanes, ex-Flyers netminder Carter Hart became the only goalie in NHL history to allow four or more goals in each of the first four games of a Stanley Cup Final. Flyers Must Consider Top Goalies in 2026 NHL Draft [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/b7917db4-7bb8-4e42-b02b-5b16e994550b.jpeg] Flyers Must Consider Top Goalies in 2026 NHL Draft The Philadelphia Flyers badly need some new blood in their goalie prospect pool, and the 2026 NHL Draft awaits. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/latest-news/flyers-must-consider-top-goalies-in-2026-nhl-draft] Things only got worse for the 27-year-old on Thursday night, as another four goals by the Hurricanes put his team down in the series for the very first time, extending his historically bad record by one more game. Hart was a strong playoff performer dating back to his early days with the Flyers, but he's had a save percentage no higher than .879 in his last five starts for the Golden Knights. As a result, his once-elite numbers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/latest-news/ex-flyers-goalie-carter-hart-dominating-in-nhl-playoff-spotlight] this postseason have plummeted to a more average 2.59 GAA and .909 save percentage. Still respectable, but hardly jaw-dropping as they were previously. At the other end of the ice, the Hurricanes have turned to Brandon Bussi in place of Freddie Andersen; Bussi has now won two straight with Andersen serving as a scratch and not dressing at all. Former Flyers head coach John Tortorella [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/latest-news/john-tortorella-returns-to-stanley-cup-final-after-flyers-firing] has one more chance, with or without Hart, to figure it out for Vegas, before the Stanley Cup goes home with Carolina.
