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Fastest goals in Stanley Cup Final history: Where Nikolaj Ehlers' strike for Carolina vs. Vegas ranks all-time originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Nikolaj Ehlers wasted little time in his attempt to send the Hurricanes faithful into raptures.
Twenty-five seconds into Game 1 of Carolina's series with the Golden Knights, the speedy Dane found his target, lifting the Hurricanes to a lead in the blink of an eye.
Those who pooled into the Lenovo Center would be forgiven for missing the goal, given its early nature. Predictably, those watching on in the stands — and on television screens across the world — were left wondering whether they had witnessed a new Stanley Cup Final record fall.
So, just how does Ehlers' goal compare to the fastest in Stanley Cup Final history? Here's what you need to know.
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Fastest goals in Stanley Cup Final history
Ehlers' snipe was certainly eye-catching, dancing beyond Hart's reach before cushioning off the post and into the net.
It wasn't the fastest goal in Stanley Cup Final history, however. That honor belongs to the Bruins' John Byce, who lit the lamp with a strike vs. the Oilers in Game 3 of the 1990 Stanley Cup Final.
Byce's goal came 10 seconds into the contest. Byce and Cam Neely combined to dislodge the puck from an Edmonton stick. Neely's shot deflected off of Bill Ranford's pads, falling right into the path of Byce, who finished with aplomb.
With that, here's a look at the 10 fastest goals in Stanley Cup Final history.
| Rank. | Goalscorer | Team | Opponent | Time | Game | Year |
| 1. | John Byce | Bruins | Oilers | 10 seconds | 3 | 1990 |
| 2. | Jean Beliveau | Canadiens | Blackhawks | 14 seconds | 7 | 1965 |
| 3. | Sid Smith | Maple Leafs | Canadiens | 15 seconds | 1 | 1951 |
| 4. | Fernando Pisani | Oilers | Hurricanes | 16 seconds | 5 | 2006 |
| 5. | Bob Pulford | Maple Leafs | Blackhawks | 17 seconds | 5 | 1962 |
| 6. | Norm Johnson | Bruins | Canadiens | 20 seconds | 2 | 1958 |
| 7. | Reggie Leach | Flyers | Canadiens | 21 seconds | 1 | 1976 |
| 8. | Buddy O'Connor | Canadiens | Maple Leafs | 25 seconds | 6 | 1947 |
| Gregg Sheppard | Bruins | Canadiens | 25 seconds | 4 | 1978 | |
| Nikolaj Ehlers | Hurricanes | Golden Knights | 25 seconds | 1 | 2026 |
MORE: How Rod Brind'Amour is responsible for nearly every Hurricanes playoff win in history
Nikolaj Ehlers playoff stats
Ehlers was Carolina's second-leading scorer during the regular-season, tallying 26 goals and 71 points to help power the Hurricanes' attack. His scoring has continued in the postseason — Ehlers entered Tuesday's contest with four goals and nine points in 12 playoff games this season.
He tacked on additional scores in Game 1, following up his impressive rip shot with a silky backhand on the breakaway to push Carolina's Game 1 advantage to two.
Nikolaj Ehlers contact details
- Years: Six
- Value: $51 million
After 10 years with the Jets, Ehlers inked a six-year, $51 million deal with Carolina ahead of the 2025-26 season.
The Danish forward's $8.5 million average annual value ranks second on the Hurricanes, trailing only Sebastian Aho. Ehlers rewarded Carolina with the best season of his 11-year career, posting a career-high in points.
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