SI:AM | Canes One Win Away After Bold Goalie Decision

DAN GARTLAND 

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I can’t think of a better way to watch the opening game of the World Cup than what I did yesterday: in a barbershop where I was the only one who didn’t speak Spanish, absorbing maybe 40% of everyone’s arguments about who was going to win the tournament.  

In today’s SI:AM:

🇲🇽 Mexico’s joyous opening victory

🇺🇸 USMNT vs. Paraguay preview

🧦 White Sox’ star rookie 

Rookie goalie comes up huge for Canes

James Guillory/Imagn Images

The Hurricanes are on the cusp of their first Stanley Cup championship in 20 years, and they can thank a rookie goaltender. 

Carolina won Game 5 against the Golden Knights on Thursday, 4–2, to take a 3–2 lead in the series and will lift the Cup if they can win Game 6 on Sunday in Vegas. 

The win marked the second straight win for Carolina after a heartbreaking double overtime loss in Game 3. That was when the Canes decided to make a switch at goalie. 

Veteran Frederik Andersen started the first 16 games of the postseason for Carolina and was mostly pretty good, posting one shutout in each of the team’s first three series. But he was less sharp in the Final, giving up five goals on 23 shots in Game 1 and three goals on 26 shots in Game 2. Game 3 was especially rough for Andersen, as he allowed four goals in the second period. When the Canes took the ice for the third period, Andersen was replaced by Brandon Bussi. 

The 27-year-old rookie rose to the occasion and stood tall as Carolina pulled off an incredible comeback (scoring three goals in 39 seconds) to tie the game. Bussi did allow the winning goal in double overtime, but he played well enough (stopping 18 of the 19 shots he faced) to earn the starting nod in Games 4 and 5. 

Going with Bussi was a bold choice by Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour. When he was called upon for surprise mop-up duty in Game 3, it was Bussi’s first game action in nearly two months. He’d never played in a playoff game before. Now, he’s the first goalie in NHL history to make his first two career playoff starts in the Stanley Cup Final and win both. Andersen, meanwhile, did not dress for Game 4 or 5. Third-stringer Pyotr Kochetkov served as Bussi’s backup, and the Canes also called up Amir Miftakhov from the AHL to be the third goalie. 

It’s usually a bad sign when a team needs to shuffle its goalies in a playoff series, but Bussi has risen to the occasion and now needs to lead the Canes to just one more win before he can become one of the most unlikely goaltenders to win a Stanley Cup. 

Skubal’s trade deadline audition

Junfu Han/Imagn Images

Contenders all across MLB will be keeping a close eye on tomorrow’s Tigers-Guardians game. 

Back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is set to make his first start in six weeks after recovering from surgery to remove loose bodies from his pitching elbow. Skubal had the operation just 38 days ago. 

The Tigers have taken a nosedive since Skubal’s injury. They were 15–16 after he made his last start and have gone 14–24 since. They’re in fourth place in the AL Central, eight games behind the first-place White Sox. (Yes, the White Sox are in first place.)

Skubal is set to become a free agent this offseason and has long been viewed as a likely trade candidate. The injury cast some doubt on whether he’d be moved before the deadline, but his relatively quick return gives him plenty of time to prove to potential suitors that he’s worth surrendering a haul of prospects to acquire. 

The other thing about the timing of Skubal’s return is that it gives the Tigers more time to close the gap in the Central. This year’s trade deadline isn’t until Aug. 3. The return of Skubal and No. 2 starter Casey Mize, who hasn’t pitched since suffering a groin injury on May 27, will give Detroit a boost it sorely needs. Mize is expected to start on Sunday in Cleveland. If they can help get the Tigers back in the postseason hunt, then Skubal and Mize will be valuable pieces down the stretch. If the Tigers are still languishing by the time the deadline comes, then both might be finishing the season elsewhere.  

OpenWeb

Recommended by  

 

The best of Sports Illustrated

 

Get the print edition of Sports Illustrateddelivered to your door.

Click to subscribe! 

 Kaz Photography/Getty Images

👀 The top five …

… things I saw yesterday: 

5. A sweet diving catch by Pete Crow-Armstrong. 

4. Oh Hyeon-gyu’s late game-winning goal for South Korea against Czechia. 

3. Ladislav Krejcí’s opening goal for Czechia on a long throw-in. 

2. Reds prospect Kien Vu’s walk-off steal of home.

1. The South African TV crew’s reaction to their team’s loss to Mexico in the opening game of the World Cup.  

Join SI The Post-Up

A weekly spotlight on the biggest stories and in-depth reporting of women’s basketball—from compelling athlete features to sharp commentary on the latest news and scores.CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE

OpenWeb

Recommended by  


We may receive compensation for some links to products and services included in this email.

Sports Publishing Solutions Inc.
625 Broadway, 10th floor
New York, NY. 10012
You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the SI:AM newsletter.

You can unsubscribe here  .

Privacy Policy – Terms & Conditions

© 2026 Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC.
All betting and gambling content included in the SI:AM newsletter is intended for individuals 21+ (18+ in DC, KY, NH, RI, and WY). Betting and gambling content, including picks and predictions, are based on individual commentators’ opinions and we do not guarantee any success or profits. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLERor texting 800GAM.

Click this link to view the newsletter in your browser.

Unknown's avatar

Published by RJ Hamster

I was born on 6 August 1956 in San Francisco, California to Janet and (the late) Richard Hovis. I grew up in Santa Monica, California where I attended elementary, junior high school, and high school (graduating in 1974), in addition to involvement in sports and recreation (Little League +, the Boy’s Club ++). Further, it was in elementary school – St. Augustine’s By-the -Sea Parish School that I found, and made the choice to truly journey with God. I attended Arizona State University from 1974 to 1977 – seeking to become an architect, however, I was not accepted, and, as such, I graduated with a Liberal Arts degree. Upon graduation from Arizona State University, I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and studied City and Regional Planning at the Master’s level. I successfully completed one (1) year in a two (2) year program – I did not complete the Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning – due to personal reasons. I returned to Santa Monica where I started (October 1979) my career as graphic designer with Exxon Company, USA. I spent five years with Exxon Company, USA. While working with Exxon Company, USA I was accepted into architectural school – Sci-Arc in Southern California, however, I did not attend preferring to stay with Exxon.. In 1982 I married Laura Flosi and in April 1983 we had our one and only child – Lauren Alain Hovis – a gift from God. We moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1984 from Los Angeles, where I went to work as a graphic designer with Kitchell CEM (from 1985 -1987). From 1987 – 1995 I was an independent contractor, and a registered representative in mortgage finance, financial management, graphic design, and drafting. Further, I attended the University of Phoenix and successfully obtained a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in 1982. I was also a member of the Scottsdale Jaycees, where I became very involved in community events and projects. In 1994, I accepted a cartography position with the Defense Mapping Agency in Reston, Virginia. As such, I relocated from Phoenix to Reston. In 1998, I was accepted and worked as a Visual Information Officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2002, I worked as a Support Officer until my retirement (due to a need for shoulder surgery) in September 2018. Away from my Federal Government service, I have been involved in various organizations and activities in Northern Virginia. In November of 2011, I married Rebecca Ouellette in Santa Monica, California. I reside in San Tan Valley, AZ with my two hamster - Jess and Timothy, our fish, our lizard - RJ Lizard., and our cats - Pearl and Grey. As to hobbies, I enjoy playing sports, attending sporting events, mentoring individuals from financial management to hamsters, building models, photography, travel, multimedia design, managing partner for RJ Hamster, and jazz – smooth jazz to a samba or a bossa nova. Love and God Bless, Peter – aka RJ Hamster Jo hi

Leave a Comment