What happened: The Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes meet in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night, set for 8 p.m. ET. ESPN announced the matchup will air on ABC and the ESPN App. The series opens in Raleigh.

Why it matters: This is the championship round, with the franchise's season on the line over a best-of-seven series. Both clubs advanced through multiple rounds to reach the Final, and Game 1 often sets the early tone for home-ice advantage and momentum. The matchup caps a postseason run that set up the Golden Knights–Hurricanes title showdown.

What to watch: Watch for the opening result to establish home-ice control in the series. Lineups, goaltending decisions, and early special-teams play will be the first storylines to track.