Brandon Bussi: From career backup to unsung hero

Down 4-0 in Game 3, Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour replaced starting goalie Frederik Andersen with backup Brandon Bussi. It was from this moment that sealed a Stanley Cup victory for the Hurricanes. They scored four unanswered goals in the third period to force overtime against the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Despite losing in 2OT from a ricochet shot 5-4, Bussi set a new tone for the Hurricanes going forward.

Before joining the Hurricanes, Bussi played at Western Michigan University, where he went undrafted. He was then signed by the Boston Bruins, spending time in their farm system playing for the AHL Providence Bruins and ECHL Maine Mariners. Then, last summer, the Florida Panthers signed him to be the third-string goalie, behind Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov.

However, before Bussi could even suit up for the Panthers, the Hurricanes claimed him off of waivers. In his first career regular season, Bussi started 39 games, boasting an impressive 31-6-2 record. Even with his standout season, it wasn’t enough to claim the starting spot as Brind’Amour gave it to Andersen.

The Hurricanes cruised through the Eastern Conference, sweeping the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers in rounds 1 and 2, followed by a Eastern Conference Finals victory over the Montreal Canadiens in five games. It was the Hurricanes first time back in the Stanley Cup Finals since 2006.

Game 1 saw a 5-4 Golden Knights victory, in which a combined three goals were scored in each period. Game 2 saw the Hurricanes bounce back with a 4-3 win thanks to a Seth Jarvis OT winner.

Bussi’s time to shine came in Game 3. With Andersen struggling for the third consecutive game, Bussi stepped up. Down 4-0, the Hurricanes shockingly scored four straight goals to force overtime. Unfortunately, the Golden Knights would go on to win in 2OT off of a wild shot from Shea Theodore.

Following the loss, Bussi was named as the starter in Game 4. He has saved 18 of 19 shots in Game 3 and looked cool under pressure. The decision for the Hurricanes paid off as they evened the series, winning 5-3.

Despite only saving 18 of 21 shots in Game 4, it was enough to have Bussi start in a crucial Game 5. This time, Bussi showed out, saving 23 of 25 shots in a decisive 4-2 victory for the Hurricanes. With Carolina on the brink of their second-ever Stanley Cup, Bussi put on a performance for the ages in Game 6. He stopped all 22 shots, including a total of seven power-play shots, en route to his third career shutout.

From a journeyman, to Stanley Cup Champion. Bussi stepped up when the Hurricanes needed him most, and his named will forever be etched into Hurricanes history.

About the Author Published Jun 15, 2026

CAMERON JOYCE

Cameron Joyce is an NCAAF, NFL, NHL, and MLB beat writer for Ball Exclusives. Cameron also previously worked at The University of Alabama's newspaper, "The Crimson White," covering volleyball and baseball.