Hurricanes’ Jordan Staal makes history by scoring in fifth consecutive Stanley Cup Final game

RALEIGH, N.C. – Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal became the first player in 70 years to open a Stanley Cup Final with goals in five consecutive games when he tipped home his sixth goal of the series in on Thursday night.

Staal drove hard to the net and redirected a pass from Nikolaj Ehlers to tie Game 5 at 1-1 at the 11:46 mark of the first period, which gave him a goal in every game of this championship series against the Vegas Golden Knights so far.

Montreal Canadiens legend Jean Béliveau was the last to achieve the feat, in 1956. The only other players to do it? Montreal’s Maurice (Rocket) Richard in 1951 and Cyclone Taylor of the Vancouver Millionaires in 1918.

Yvan Cournoyer also scored in five straight Stanley Cup Final games for the Canadiens in 1973, but not the first five games.

Staal is a surprising player to join that exclusive company. The 37-year-old is prized for his shutdown abilities as a defensive-minded center rather than for his offensive prowess, and he entered the Cup Final with two goals in 13 playoff games this spring.

But he got hot as soon as the series with Vegas began, with one goal in each of the first three games and two in Tuesday’s Game 4 victory.

Staal is just the second captain to record six or more goals in a single Stanley Cup Final in the last 100 years, joining Edmonton Oilers legend Wayne Gretzky, who had seven in 1985.