Carolina Hurricanes fans directed a chant of 'No means no' at Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final on Tuesday night in Raleigh, N.C. Hart was acquitted last year of sexual assault charges stemming from an incident involving four other members of the 2018 Canadian world junior hockey team.
Background of the case
The five players were accused of sexually assaulting a woman during a party in London, Ont. After a highly publicized trial, Justice Maria Carroccia acquitted them, and the NHL lifted their suspensions on Dec. 1, 2025. Hart is the only one of the five to re-sign with an NHL team, joining the Golden Knights on Oct. 24, 2025. Cal Foote signed with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL, while Dillon Dube, Alex Formenton, and Michael McLeod remain unsigned.
Controversy during media day
Hart faced additional scrutiny on Monday during the NHL's pre-final media day. When asked by The Athletic about his comments on learning and growth since the verdict, Hart responded: 'I've learned a lot. I've grown a lot since then. And I've been able to meet a lot of good people in the community... just really fortunate to be here in Vegas.' A Golden Knights staff member immediately ended the press conference, preventing follow-up questions.
Game performance
Despite the chants and a 2-0 first-period deficit, Hart and the Golden Knights secured a 5-4 victory. Hart made 23 saves on 27 shots. Since joining Vegas, he has posted an 11-3-3 regular-season record with a 2.71 GAA. In the playoffs, he has gone 13-4 with a 2.33 GAA and a .918 save percentage.
What's next
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Thursday night in Raleigh, with Games 3 and 4 set for Saturday and Tuesday, June 9, in Vegas.
