Golden Knights take Stanley Cup playoff series on Sharks

May 5 (UPI) -- The Vegas Golden Knights beat the San Jose Sharks 5-3 in Game 5, taking a 3-2 lead in its Stanley Cup playoff series.

Vegas came away with the victory Friday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights earned a 4-0 advantage, but had to hold off a wicked Sharks comeback to secure the win.

"Tonight we came out for 50 minutes and we played our best hockey and really set the tone," Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant told reporters. "We got into some penalty trouble at the end there and gave them a chance to get back in the game and they got back in the game."

James Neal scored the first goal of the game with three seconds remaining in the first period. Alex Tuch and Erik Haula lit the lamp in the second frame, increasing the Golden Knights' lead to three goals.

Tuch added his four goal of the Stanley Cup playoffs 8:36 into the final frame, before the Sharks got hungry.

Kevin Labanc started the Sharks' rally with a score one minute after Tuch's tally. Tomas Hertl beat Marc-Andre Fleury two minutes later, before Mikkel Boedker cut the Golden Knights' lead to just one goal with 4:16 remaining in regulation.

Jonathan Marchessault sealed the victory by putting in an empty-netter with 1:21 posted on the clock. The Sharks and Golden Knights face off in Game 6 at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.