Live updates: Canes beat Vegas 4-2 in Game 5, now a win away from Stanley Cup title

Andrei Svechnikov scored twice and Sebastian Aho added a second-period goal in a breakout game for Carolina's top-line performers, helping the Hurricanes beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Thursday night to move within a victory of winning the Stanley Cup.

Captain Jordan Staal added his fifth goal in the series on a night when Carolina overcame multiple hiccups from these playoffs, from a shaky power play to being outplayed in the second period of this series.

And there had been the waiting game for Aho and Svechnikov - two roster mainstays in an eight-year postseason run - to find a better offensive groove.

It all came together in Game 5, with Svechnikov's short putaway at the post on the power play giving Carolina a 4-1 lead midway through the third period. And unlike most multi-goal leads in what has been a wild and thrilling series, this one held up, with Brandon Bussi finishing with 22 saves in his second career postseason start.

The Hurricanes played a complete game on Thursday night.

That gave the Hurricanes a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 6 is Sunday night in Las Vegas, with the Hurricanes playing for the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup for the first time since coach Rod Brind'Amour captained them to the title in 2006.

Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice for Vegas, finding the net for the first time since Game 1 of the Western Conference Final sweep of Presidents' Trophy winner Colorado. Carter Hart entered this one as the first goaltender in Stanley Cup Final history to give up at least four goals in each of the first four games, then did it again to continue a difficult series while finishing with 20 saves.

Vegas had twice before been in a 2-2 series in these playoffs, in the first round against Utah and the second round against Anahaim. Both times, the Golden Knights won Game 5 and then closed out the series in Game 6.

This time, they'll have to win on home ice to force the series back to Carolina for a Game 7 on Wednesday night. And they'll have to take two in a row against a Hurricanes team that hasn't suffered consecutive losses since mid-January.

Vegas played much of the night without center William Karlsson, who was being checked out on the bench for an apparent upper-body injury. Karlsson skated to the tunnel midway through the second period and didn't return.

- The Associated Press contributed.

At the Lenovo Center, and at Raleigh's official watch party at Red Hat Amphitheater, fans roared with delight as the Hurricanes beat Vegas 4-2 in Game 5 to inch a game closer to the Stanley Cup title.

Inside and outside the Lenovo Center, the mood was joyous after the Canes moved within a game of the Stanley Cup title.

The Red Hat Amphitheater held its first Stanley Cup Final watch party and the night ended with a big Canes victory.

Shortly after Carolina's Andrei Svechnikov scored his second goal of the game, his fellow Russian Pavel Dorofeyev netted his second of the game to give Vegas a little life and make it 4-2 Canes with under seven minutes to go.

The way this series has gone, the Hurricanes will need to stay focused, as no lead has appeared safe.

Maybe Andrei Svechnikov knew it might be his night when he said called Game 5 the biggest game of his life.

His second goal of a night, and second on a power play, gave the Hurricanes a commanding 4-1 lead on Vegas nearly halfway through the third period.