Hurricanes fans chant at Knights goalie Hart over assault

In Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night, Carolina Hurricanes fans directed chants at Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart, referencing his past involvement in a high-profile sexual assault case. The chants, including “No means no” and “Respect women,” echoed through Raleigh’s Lenovo Center as Hart backstopped his team to a 5-4 victory and a 1-0 series lead.

Hart, 27, was one of five members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior hockey team acquitted of sexual assault charges last July following an eight-week trial. The charges stemmed from an alleged incident with a woman in a London, Ontario, hotel room after a Hockey Canada gala in 2018. Justice Maria Carroccia of the Canadian Superior Court ruled she did not find the complainant’s evidence credible or reliable and said the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The case centered on the issue of consent, not whether the sexual activity occurred.

The NHL suspended the players during the investigation and reinstated them last fall, allowing them to return to play starting December 1, 2025. Hart signed a two-year contract with the Golden Knights in October and made his team debut on December 2. He...