The story of Carter Hart hits triumphant chapter in Game One against Ducks
May 4, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) was named First Star of the Game after the Golden Knights defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 in game one of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Even when Carter Hart signed with the Vegas Golden Knights back in October, the odyssey of his professional career continued to go through its ebbs and flows. From his stint with Vegas’ AHL affiliate Henderson Silver Knights in November to being injured early in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets in January, Hart’s early days in his second lease on life in the NHL were tenuous.
A late-season reunion with head coach John Tortorella would help spark one of the best stretches of play of his career, leading him to being trusted with the starting job in the playoffs. Despite the pressure of having to man the net in the postseason, especially on a team with legitimate cup aspirations like Vegas, Hart has managed to pull it off so far. The goaltender would reward the team for keeping the faith, putting together a stellar 33-save effort to push the Golden Knights to a 3-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in Game One of the second round.
“He was our best player tonight,” said Tortorella about Hart’s performance in net. “We struggled to find our game, but Carter was outstanding. ” Hart was the story of the first period, stopping all 11 Anaheim shots in the first 20 minutes as Vegas struggled to match the speed of a younger Ducks team.
Despite Anaheim dominating through the first period and in the early part of the second, Vegas would ultimately be the team to break the ice. After another early penalty kill, Mitch Marner once again found a way to make an impact offensively. Finding Brett Howden streaking to the net, Marner timed a pass perfectly to land directly on his linemate’s stick, and Howden was able to take sole possession of first place on the Golden Knights with his fifth goal of the playoffs.
“Like I spoke about after our series against Utah, I feel like our chemistry is really growing,” said Marner about his connection with Howden and their continued contributions in all aspects of the game. “We’re doing a lot of good things together. I really appreciate his defensive game too, just how steady he is.
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