𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

LAS VEGAS — With his team down 2-1 in the Stanley Cup Final, Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour said Sunday that he hasn’t decided on a starting goaltender for Tuesday’s Game 4.

Brandon Bussi played a remarkable game in relief of starter Frederik Andersen on Saturday, stopping 17 of the 18 Vegas Golden Knights shots he faced in an eventual 5-4, double-overtime loss.

“We’ll make all decisions after practice (Monday) and see how (Andersen is) feeling,” Brind’Amour said when asked directly if Andersen would start Game 4. “I haven’t made any decisions on the lineup, so I can’t tell you.”

Brind’Amour said his decision would come “maybe after (Monday’s practice) — or maybe not even then.” He also said at separate points in his media availability that he didn’t anticipate “any changes” to Carolina’s lineup, and that he didn’t anticipate “a lot of changes.”

After a highly effective run through the first three rounds of the postseason, Andersen has allowed 12 goals over eight periods in the Final, including four on Saturday before giving way to Bussi after the second intermission. At the time, the Hurricanes trailed Vegas 4-0.

As he did postgame on Saturday, Brind’Amour put more blame on his skaters than Andersen for Carolina’s poor second period. The Golden Knights’ first goal came on the power play, and their second came on a redirected pass off the stick of Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker.

“Obviously, you don’t want to give up some of the chances we’ve given up, but overall, like I said, I thought (Andersen has) been fine,” he said. “You ask him to make the saves that he’s gotta make and I think he’s done that. A couple bad bounces, they are what they are. So he’s been solid for us. (Bussi) came in and was solid for us. So that’s gotta continue.”

Shortly taking over for Andersen, Bussi stopped Mitch Marner on a penalty shot that would’ve given Marner four goals in the game and put Vegas up 5-0. Carolina’s push began from there, with Bussi only getting beaten by a shot by Shea Theodore that bounced off the end boards, Carolina forward Jordan Martinook’s stick and Bussi’s own skate, bringing yet another chaotically entertaining game to an end.

Bussi, who won 31 of 39 starts during the regular season, hadn’t played in the postseason until Saturday. After the game, he said he’d be prepared if called upon for Game 4.

“Absolutely, (but) that’s not my call, though,” Bussi said. “Fred’s the reason why we’re here right now. So if they tell me I’m going, great. If not, I’ll be ready.”