Carolina Hurricanes hoist first Stanley Cup since 2006

The GIST: Droughts were snapped all over the men’s sports world this weekend as the Carolina Hurricanes won their first Stanley Cup since 2006, silencing the Vegas Golden Knights with last night’s 3–0 Game 6 win. Now that’s a storm surge.

🏆 Eighth time’s a charm for Carolina: The Canes had been knocking on the Cup’s door for years. Anchored by star forward Sebastian Aho and captain Jordan Staal, this run marked Carolina’s eighth straight playoff appearance under head coach Rod Brind'Amour, with three conference finals losses in that span. There was no heartbreak this year though: The Canes finally reached the mountaintop.

• As for the Conn Smythe trophy, it’s only right that Staal earned the honors. It took the 37-year-old 17 years to return to the NHL’s promised land — and he made the most of it, scoring in five of the Canes’ six Cup games for a series-leading six goals.

🧱 Goalie Brandon Bussi the unsung hero: Bussi wasn’t in an enviable position when he relieved Frederick Anderson in Game 3, but the undrafted netminder wasn’t fazed: He stood on his head in a double-overtime loss in Game 4, before allowing just three goals over the next two games — including last night’s Cup-clinching shutout. Beyond clutch.