The Carolina Hurricanes moved within one win of the Stanley Cup championship after a 4-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 on Thursday in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The win gives Carolina a 3-2 series lead in the best-of-seven final.
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Rookie goaltender Brandon Bussi stopped 23 of 25 shots to earn his third win of the series.
Andrei Svechnikov scored twice on the power play, in the second and third periods, to lead the Hurricanes' offense.
Jordan Staal tied the game in the first period, becoming the first NHL player since 1956 to score in each of the first five games of a Stanley Cup Final.
Sebastian Aho also added a goal for Carolina.
"This was the biggest game of my life, personally," Svechnikov said. "Thank God we won that game.
Obviously, it's in our mind that we have one more game to do it. We are focused for the next game."
Nikolaj Ehlers recorded three assists, and defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere added two assists.
"It's huge, obviously," Ehlers said. "It's going to be really hard.
It's going to be a really tough game, but we are excited for it. We are ready for it.
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This team has been working all year for moments like these -- especially this moment."
Vegas took an early lead on a power-play goal by Pavel Dorofeyev, who later scored again in the third period to cut the deficit to one.
Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart allowed four goals on 24 shots.
Vegas forward William Karlsson missed most of the game due to an apparent hand injury.
"We've gotta find a way," said Golden Knights coach John Tortorella. "He's an important piece to us.
Up the middle of the ice, penalty killer, power play guy. He is a winner.
But having said that, it's all good stuff. He's not going to be with us, probably.
We've got to find a way to fill that void."
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Game 6 is scheduled for Sunday in Las Vegas, where Carolina can clinch the championship. If necessary, Game 7 would be Wednesday back in Raleigh.
