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Aug. 19 (UPI) -- The Vegas Golden Knights overcame a 2-0 deficit for a comeback Game 5 victory to win their first-round Stanley Cup playoffs series over the Chicago Blackhawks. Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone, Alec Martinez and Alex Tuch scored for Vegas in the 4-3 win Tuesday at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Tuch scored the game-winner 1:34 into the third period.
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Vegas is the first team to advance out of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Golden Knights will battle the Phoenix Coyotes or Colorado Avalanche in the second round.
"The win was huge for our group," Tuch told reporters. "Not having to go back and play another game gives us a lot of time to rest and recover and get ready for our next opponent."
Jonathan Toews gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead when he scored 10:32 into the first period. Alex DeBrincat doubled the lead with another goal about eight minutes later.
Pacioretty lit the lamp for the Golden Knights' first score with 31 seconds remaining in the first period. Stone then tied the score 57 seconds into the second frame.
Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane gave his squad a 3-2 edge when he beat Vegas net minder Robin Lehner 4:02 into the bridge period. Martinez tied the score when he scored on a Vegas power play three minutes later.
Tuch then netted the game-winning tally when Vegas took advantage of a Chicago line change early in the third period.
Vegas center Jonathan Marchessault skated up the right flank at the start of the play. He then fired a pass across the ice to Tuch, who held the puck as he cut off two defenders and swerved toward the net. Tuch then used a backhanded shot to slip the puck past Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford and into the right side of the net.
Crawford had 35 saves in the loss. Lehner had 23 saves for Vegas.
"I like that we never gave up," Kane said. "It was a pretty intense game. We hung in there and fought. We got some great goaltending. It feels weird to be done. It's tough to be done with the season and know we aren't going to play anymore."
The Golden Knights -- the top seed in the Western Conference -- won the first three games of the series before Chicago -- the No. 8 seed -- won Game 4. Vegas outscored Chicago 11-4 in the series.
"It was nice to win," Vegas coach Pete DeBoer said. "They are a persistent team. Their core players really played well as the series went on. We were glad to get it over with because they weren't going away quietly.
"They made us earn it."
The Avalanche own a 3-1 series lead on the Coyotes through four games of their first-round Western Conference series. Game 5 is set for 5:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday at Rogers Place.
