The Carolina Hurricanes moved one win away from the Stanley Cup after a 4-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 on Thursday in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes now hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series and will aim to clinch their second Stanley Cup title in Game 6 on Sunday in Las Vegas.
Top Line Powers Hurricanes
Andrei Svechnikov scored two power-play goals, and Sebastian Aho also tallied for the Hurricanes, who scored four consecutive goals after falling behind early. Carolina’s Nikolaj Ehlers recorded three assists, Shayne Gostisbehere added two, and goaltender Brandon Bussi made 22 saves in his second straight start.
Pavel Dorofeyev scored two goals for the Golden Knights, Jack Eichel had two assists, and Carter Hart stopped 20 shots. Vegas has lost two in a row after taking a 2-1 series lead.
First Period Action
The Golden Knights struck first on the power play after Ehlers was penalized for delay of game. Eichel drove through the right circle and centered a pass to an unmarked Dorofeyev, who chipped the puck into the net from close range at 6:52 for a 1-0 lead.
Jordan Staal tied the game at 11:46, redirecting a shot pass from Ehlers over Hart’s left pad. Staal has now scored in each of the first five games of the final, becoming the first player to do so since Jean Beliveau in 1956.
Second Period Surge
After killing a roughing penalty on Jeremy Lauzon, the Hurricanes went back on the power play due to a cross-checking penalty on Brayden McNabb. Svechnikov spun and fired a pass from Gostisbehere into the far side of the net at 11:58 to give Carolina a 2-1 lead.
Aho extended the lead to 3-1 at 17:51, using his skate to stop a diagonal pass from Sean Walker before firing the puck over Hart’s right shoulder.
Third Period and Final Score
Mark Stone was penalized for a double-minor high-sticking infraction at 8:38 of the third period. Svechnikov scored on the second penalty off a feed from Ehlers at 11:08 to make it 4-1.
Dorofeyev scored his second goal of the game on a rebound at 13:49 to pull Vegas within 4-2. Ehlers was penalized for delay of game with 2:13 remaining, and Vegas pulled Hart for a 6-on-4 advantage, but Carolina held on.
Vegas forward William Karlsson left the game midway through the second period with an apparent left arm injury and did not return.
