NHL Goalie Fires Back at Woke Mob Chants in Stanley Cup Final

Liberty Check

• Vegas Golden Knights goalie Carter Hart stands strong against mob harassment despite being legally cleared of all charges
• Woke hockey fans weaponize false accusations to intimidate player during Stanley Cup Final
• NHL virtue-signals with statement despite players’ full acquittal in court

The Vegas Golden Knights are sticking with goaltender Carter Hart for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final as they look to force a Game 7 against the Carolina Hurricanes back in Raleigh. And if that happens, there’s no question Hart will hear the same politically charged chants he’s endured this entire series: “No means no.”

Hart was one of five former members of the 2018 Canadian World Junior Championship-winning hockey team accused of sexual assault stemming from an incident at a London, Ontario, hotel. All five — Hart, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote, Dillon Dubé and Alex Formenton — were suspended from their NHL clubs but were fully acquitted last summer.

Yet the league-sanctioned harassment continues. The NHL released a statement saying that “the conduct at issue falls woefully short of the standards and values that the League and its Member Clubs expect and demand” — despite a court of law finding insufficient evidence to convict.

Hart, who previously played for the Philadelphia Flyers, signed with Vegas midseason and has since played every postseason game. But opposing fans have weaponized his past accusations — charges he was cleared of — to their advantage.

“It’s just noise. I mean, both atmospheres and both buildings have been really loud and just a lot of fun to play in,” Hart said about the chants on Saturday.

“Yeah, just noise.”

That’s a competitor’s mindset, but the mental warfare may be having an impact. Hart became the first goalie in NHL history to give up at least four goals in the first four games of a Cup Final, then did it again in Game 5.

It’s unusual to see a goalie remain in net after such performances, but this series has been anything but normal. Carolina also surrendered a high number of goals before switching from Frederik Andersen to Brandon Bussi, who allowed three goals in Game 4 and two in Game 5.

Hart won’t have to deal with the mob chants at home, but his statistics remain concerning. If Vegas wants any hope of forcing Game 7, they’re going to need better play in net — and an end to the coordinated intimidation campaign against a player who was cleared by the justice system.

Americans deserve better.