(Photo from of @GoldenKnights on X/Twitter)
In his 13th career regular season game as a Golden Knight, center Tomas Hertl performed like the highly-paid star that Golden Knights fans have been waiting to see. Last night, the 31-year-old broke out for a four-point appearance and led Vegas to a 6-1 blowout victory over LA.
He knew that he needed to bring a little more offense. It’s not like he’s not trying. Sometimes it takes a while to click. … It’ll give him a little confidence. He looked a little down coming off the road. He wants to help us win. -Bruce Cassidy
It felt like vintage Hertl on Tuesday night. You remember the same friendly fellow who delivered six goals in seven games against the Golden Knights in the 2018 playoffs. Last night against the Kings, Hertl collected 2 goals, 2 assists, 5 shots, 3 hits, 1 blocked shot, and won 90% of his faceoffs. Considering all of his stat sheet accolades and how comfortable he was in front of LA’s net, hands down this was Hertl’s best game in gold.
Maybe it’s being dramatic, but Hertl couldn’t have waited much longer to break out. He’s been mostly absent in 5-on-5 scoring this season and was riding a team worse -3 going into last night. Showing that the center can still dominate and make plays in the O-zone lessens the pressure on the top line to produce every night. If opponents become too focused on the top line, Hertl’s trio should greatly benefit. The Golden Knights become one of the conference’s most dangerous teams when everyone contributes.
The game changer was special teams. Two great power-play goals. We’ve been talking a lot about special teams. Special teams can win the game. We did a really good job and it was a great performance from everybody. Four lines, big win. It’s nice to start a homestand like that. -Tomas Hertl
So far this season, Vegas has heavily relied on Ivan Barbashev, Jack Eichel, and Mark Stone for scoring. The top line has combined for 32 points (10 goals, 22 assists) through seven games. After his strong performance, Hertl moved himself into the mix of team point leaders.
After a small sample size, it’s beginning to look like one of those seasons where everything goes right at home for the Golden Knights. We’ve seen the organization dominate opponents on home ice for almost a decade and it appears it isn’t stopping. Including Hertl’s big night, Vegas is now +12 in home-ice goal differential. In 12 periods at T-Mobile Arena, the home team averages 5.25 goals per game, 2.75 power play opportunities, and 1.25 power play goals per game.
If those numbers are sustained and Hertl stays hot, the road trip woes won’t feel so bad.
knights fan in minny
own the front of the net Hertl
Emmanuel
Hes on pace for his first Point per Game season!
Seriously, I looked at his career stats and besides two 30G seasons, way in the past, hes been pretty blah/mid.
I kinda wonder how he got that HUGE contract….
ThG
one game is not “heating up”. The sports writers in this town have to be worst in the nation. I admire their rooting for the home team, but give me a break. “Heating up” refers to more than one game, and he has to do it on the road too.
Getting ahead of ourselves here, and jinxing Hertl is what these writers seem to do all the time. Give me a freaking break.
ID10T w/ a Ba1100n
The VGK need to ditch the demonic dragon, sorcerous part of pre-game, and anything to do with “pride.” Those things invite a jinx more then anything.
I agree intakes more than one game to say he is getting “hot.”
Butch Cassidy
Exactly, THG.
Heating up?
The guy was completely worthless during the road trip and lost the over time game.
Let’s see him not disappear for the next 5 games before he say he is heating up lol
Frank
In all fairness to Hertl (the turtle)….. We do need to give him some time to gel with the system and the team. In the games he has played so far, though, he has massively underperformed his contract. Here’s to hoping last night was not an outlier and he can get on a roll. If he can, it makes Vegas a much more dangerous team.
VGK fan
Frank, you are correct!
It wasn’t to long ago many of these same fans were trashing Petro when he started off really slow with his new teammates. How soon we all forget the past.
Butch Cassidy
He is a 30yo professional NHL player making $6,750 a year and has had half a season plus a complete preseason to gel.
How much time does he REALLY need?
I find comments like this asking for time when he has had ages to gel a bit funny
Jose
I don’t mind calling out bitchy whiners as you all know even if it ruffles some feathers of some emotional fans but as much as I like Marchessault, I can only imagine the annoying comments I would be hearing if he was lighting it up in Nashville.
I’ll take the large body center Tomas Hertl over Marchy. Hertl can just more things and is a more complete player.
ThG
marchy is better skater in OT period (and shoot outs), and makes it to bench on time not putting his on ice team mates in panic mode on D.
ID10T w/ a Ba1100n
Waiting to read all the negative BS people will post when Wild Bill comes back and is rusty from the early hiatus. People in this town love to act like they could coach or play at the NHL level. It’s like a bunch of folks from Toronto came down here to bitch about players.
Good for Marchy on getting the deal he got, and I hope he does well there. Just like I think it’s cool that Cotter seems to have found a good fit. My loyalty is to the VGK win or lose; if it takes moving some guys to keep up the winning, that is the nature of the buisness. I can’t pretend to be better at managing a team better than the VGK FO any more than I could coach a team better than Butch.
Jose
ID10T w/ a Ba11OOn, I agree with you 100%
I feel that fans are not appreciative of the incredible accomplishments of this franchise in such a short period of time and continue to be shocked at criticisms of front office decisions. From insisting that Jack Eichel is a cancer, Marc Andre Fluery is a god eventhough they won a cup without him, to insinuating that the franchise cannot survive without Marchessault. It’s the comments that come from the same people. I think it’s unnecessary negativity and some feel that it comes from a passion and love for the team. That’s cool, everyone has a voice. I don’t understand how the greatest NHL expansion team in history being shit on consistently by their own fans is love. My way of showing love for the team is not shitting on them but heaping, praise and appreciation.
They’re going to get in the 97 to 104 point range and qualify for the playoffs and give us a hell of a ride in the playoffs.
Along the way they may lose some games to Columbus, San Jose, Chicago and Anaheim and when they do, I won’t call for players to be traded away. Just not my style.
San Jose is the worst team in the league but they will win at least 20 games this year and one of them may be against Vegas.
Emmanuel
A lot of the criticism is because the bar is set WAY higher for this franchise. Believe me you dont want to root for a team where the fanbase is so used to losing they are “just happy to make the playoffs” & are terrified to lose players that are”solid bottom 6 guys”. Cup or bust every year here.
Emerson Biggons
Very well said. This city loves a winner, and when the VGK lose a game or two, everyone turns on them or one player in particular. If the VGK win, everyone jumps on the bandwagon.
NAM
Is this the only sports related site you belong to? I am on several across multiple platforms for different teams in different sports. Every single one of them is exactly the same as this one when it comes to fans.
There are people that see it how it is win or lose and like to analyze the game/team/etc. This can be positive or negative, but usually from analysis of the game, mix with their opinion of why. There are the ridiculous over pessimistic. There are ridiculous over optimistic (these people always claim themselves as “real fans”) and usually have an issue with anybody saying anything negative. There are people that, more often than not, can only comment on what other people say. Often these people build up frustration over other peoples comments and then when the team finally wins or finally loses will put their “i told you so” post. Regardless, the ebb and flow of winning and losing changes the flow from positive to negative. The more success the team has the more highs and lows for the fan base. Long-time shitty teams general have more positive fan forums.
I am sure there are more characterstics that can be expanded, but these are what I can come up with quickly. These trails definitely exists here, BUT they exists in every single team sports related forum whether NHL, CHL, college hockey, college football, NFL, etc etc.
So everyone keep up the good work, doing what you are doing in your role.
TS
Emerson, so true of Vegas being a fickle bunch..been here 50 yrs, always been that way, whether in sports casinos or business, it’s all the rage until the next shiny object appears. I do fear a real letdown in the fanbase if they have a bad season.or two…
Butch Cassidy
Hertl is a good player but he has been significantly inconsistent since last year. Last night he had a great game but a $6.75 m/yr guy shouldn’t go ghost or become a liability in game deciding overtime shifts for 5 or 6 games in a row and only show up every 6th game.
In the playoffs with the amount of depth that was lost in the offseason, that would mean season over.
By mid season, we should a definite number of games whether he was a good pick up or an anchor contract holding back deep playoff runs.
By the way, I saw him at City National during my hockey practice and he could indeed lose a few pounds and put on some muscle on those twig arms lol
ThG
liberalism is surely a mental disorder
https://fb.watch/vq0Of2Oh3z/