Pavel Dorofeyev ties NHL postseason scoring lead after Golden Knights' Game 1 win

Pavel Dorofeyev entered the Stanley Cup Final as one of the NHL playoffs’ most productive finishers, a rise that has pushed the 25-year-old Vegas Golden Knights forward into a larger role at the most important point of the season. ESPN reported on June 4 that Dorofeyev opened the final tied for the postseason goal-scoring lead after a surge through the Western Conference rounds. Two days earlier, Vegas beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in Game 1 in Raleigh, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The timing matters because Dorofeyev did not add to his goal total in Game 1, but his scoring run before the final had already made him a focal point in Vegas’ attack. ESPN’s profile described a player who had elevated his game entering the championship round. NHL.com’s series page lists Game 2 for Thursday night in Raleigh. ### How unusual is Dorofeyev’s playoff scoring run? Dorofeyev had 10 goals in 18 playoff games entering the Cup Final, according to ESPN’s June 4 profile and his postseason game log on ESPN. That total had him tied for the playoff lead when the series against Carolina began. The 25-year-old right wing built that number with several multi-goal games. ESPN’s game log shows he scored three goals against Utah on April 29, then added two-goal games against Anaheim on May 12 and May 14. He also scored in the Western Conference final against Colorado on May 20. ### What did he do before the final started? ESPN’s postseason log shows Dorofeyev recorded 14 points in his first 18 playoff games, with 45 shots on goal and four power-play goals. Those numbers point to a player generating chances as well as finishing them. The regular season gave some context for that jump. ESPN lists Dorofeyev with 37 goals and 64 points in 82 games in 2025-26. That made this postseason run look less like a one-game spike and more like an extension of a scoring season in which he became a more regular offensive piece for Vegas. ### Did Dorofeyev score in Game 1 against Carolina? NHL.com’s Game 1 report shows Dorofeyev did not score in Vegas’ 5-4 win over Carolina on June 2. The game log lists him with three shots in 17:19 of ice time. Tomas Hertl scored the go-ahead goal at 16:36 of the third period, according to NHL.com. Shea Theodore had a goal and two assists, and Brett Howden and Ivan Barbashev also scored for Vegas. Carolina got two goals from Nikolaj Ehlers. ### Why was ESPN focusing on him on June 4? ESPN’s June 4 story centered on how Dorofeyev had raised his level entering the final, with his goal total serving as the clearest measure of that jump. The profile framed him as a forward whose scoring had arrived at the point in the playoffs when Vegas most needed secondary offense. That attention also reflects roster context. Vegas has established names including Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl and Mark Stone, but Dorofeyev’s 10 goals meant he entered the final producing at the same rate as the postseason’s top finishers. ### What comes next in the series? NHL.com lists Game 2 between the Golden Knights and Hurricanes for 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 4, in Raleigh. The league’s schedule page says the series then shifts to Las Vegas for Game 3 on Saturday, June 6, and Game 4 on Tuesday, June 9. NHL.com’s schedule page carries the full series slate, broadcast information and results as Vegas tries to extend its 1-0 lead and Carolina tries to level the final before the matchup moves west.