Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi thrust into Stanley Cup Final spotlight at Vegas

Brandon Bussi went from sitting on the bench for two months to nearly stealing a Stanley Cup Final game for the Carolina Hurricanes. The 27-year-old goaltender, claimed off waivers just over a year ago, has become one of the NHL’s best feel-good stories.

Now, he’s making his first career playoff start in Tuesday night’s Game 4. Who is this guy?

Here are key takeaways:

• Bussi made his playoff debut in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final after the Hurricanes fell behind the Vegas Golden Knights 4-0 in the second period at T-Mobile Arena.
• Carolina rallied with four third-period goals to tie the game before losing 5-4 in double overtime on a Shea Theodore shot that caromed off Bussi’s left skate and into the net.
• The Hurricanes rewarded Bussi with a three-year contract extension worth $1.9 million per season, with the team also donating $10,000 to the Autism Society of North Carolina in honor of Bussi’s younger brother Dylan, who is autistic.
• Bussi posted a 23-3-1 record with a 2.16 goals-against average and .908 save percentage this season, matching a franchise mark with nine consecutive wins and becoming the fastest goaltender in NHL history to reach 10 wins.
• The Long Island native played three seasons at Western Michigan before turning pro, where former teammate Drew Worrad described his calm confidence and athletic ability despite a sophomore-year groin injury that sidelined him.
• At 6-foot-4 and 218 pounds, Bussi spent three seasons with the AHL’s Providence Bruins before signing with the Florida Panthers, only to be claimed off waivers by Carolina on Oct. 5 while he was driving to join Florida’s AHL affiliate in Charlotte.
• Bussi won his NHL debut 5-1 over the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 14, making 16 saves on 17 shots after coach Rod Brind’Amour gave him the start to rest Frederik Andersen early in the road trip.
• Facing 19 shots in Game 3, Bussi stopped a penalty shot by Vegas star Mitch Marner and told reporters afterward he would “absolutely” be ready if called on for Game 4, though he deferred to Andersen as “the reason we’re here right now.”

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by News & Observer journalists Chip Alexander, Justin Pelletier and Steve Wiseman.

This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 8:48 PM with the headline "Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi thrust into Stanley Cup Final spotlight at Vegas."