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LAS VEGAS — Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour knows who will be in goal for his team in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

He’s just not telling anyone yet — and, as of Monday afternoon, that included goaltender Brandon Bussi.

“You know Roddy’s our coach, right?” Bussi said when asked if he’d been given any indication about who would start in net. “That’s all I could see. Let’s see if you guys [in the media] have better luck.”

The media didn’t.

Brind’Amour acknowledged that he’d made a decision between Bussi and veteran Frederik Andersen, who has started all 16 games in the playoffs for Carolina.  But the coach gave away little else.

“We’ll keep it quiet,” Brind’Amour said. “It’s the only suspenseful thing around here. Hold onto it. It seems to have taken on a life of its own, so I kind of enjoy it.”

Vegas leads the best-of-seven series 2-1 after a 5-4 double overtime victory in Game 3. Brind’Amour pulled Andersen, who has started all 16 games of the postseason, after the second period with the Hurricanes trailing 4-0. Andersen allowed four goals in the period and two others were disallowed.

Bussi stopped the first 18 shots he faced, including a penalty shot from Vegas star Mitch Marner, and allowed the Hurricanes to tie the game and force extra periods. The game-winning goal came off a bounce off the boards behind Bussi and caromed off his skate.

It was his first game action since April 14. Bussi was picked up on waivers just days before the season began and went 31-6-2 in 39 games, earning a contract extension.

“He’s just grateful for the moment,” Brind’Amour said. “Every day, he’s just happy to be here, grateful for any opportunity that he can get. And, to be honest, pretty much every time we give him any type of opportunity, he seizes the moment. That’s what he did the other night, too.”

It is the first time in the playoffs that Brind’Amour has faced a real decision about who to start in the net. Brind’Amour said Sunday that he didn’t anticipate a lot of changes to the Hurricanes’ lineup.

Andersen carried the Canes through the first three rounds of the playoffs, but has allowed 12 goals in less than three games in the final, including four goals in a disastrous second period.

“We probably could have been a little better for Freddie there in the second,” Bussi said after the game.

Andersen’s effectiveness has waned as the playoffs have progressed. His goals against average has climbed each series from 1.10 to 1.14 to 1.91 to 4.44 in the Stanley Cup Final. His save percentage has declined each series. 

“We have to be a lot better at stopping the bleeding a lot earlier,” forward Nikolaj Ehlers said. “They’re a great team. They’re going to get their changes, but we have to limit how big those changes are and help our goalies out a lot more than we have.”

It was certainly not all on Andersen. The Carolina defense allowed several breakaways and clean looks in front of the net. One goal went in off defenseman Sean Walker’s stick on a clear misplay. Marner had too much room to operate on two of his goals.

But Bussi shined given the opportunity, putting an end to the bleeding. He said he’s been treating practices like games, trying to help the other Hurricanes be prepared to play.

“His games have been kind of those practices we’ve had, and he’s been sharp,” forward Seth Jarvis said Tuesday. “He keeps the same mentality going into a game as he does in practice. That’s what made coming in so easy for him. He treats everything like it’s a game and just stayed really dialed in throughout the time he wasn’t playing.”

The Hurricanes faced a similar situation in 2006 when Brind’Amour was team captain.

In Game 3 of the 2006 Eastern Conference Final, the Hurricanes pulled starting goalie Cam Ward after he allowed four goals in one period. With backup Martin Gerber in net, the Hurricanes rallied but fell a goal short. 

In Game 4, Gerber started and didn’t allow a goal in a 4-0 victory. 

Gerber started Game 5, too, but allowed three early goals before Ward replaced him and, eventually, helped the Canes to a seven-game victory over Buffalo in the series. Carolina went on to win the Stanley Cup with Ward playing all seven games in the final.