LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Tomas Hertl the Golden Knights traded for last year was far from fully healthy and struggled in trying to find his way with a new team.
The Hertl the Golden Knights now have is the reason Vegas traded for him in the first place.
His hat trick in Sunday's 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Kings continued a hot streak in which Hertl has recorded points in seven of eight games (seven goals, four assists). Going back to Jan. 7, he has 17 goals and 10 assists in 24 games.
His goals total over that span was second only to Dallas' Jason Robertson, who scored 19, and tied with Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl.
Hertl said he began to feel comfortable in December.
“I settled back in center and I feel really good about my game,” Hertl said. “It feels I can help every night our team, so that feels way better than even early this season. So, hopefully, I can get even better before the playoffs.”
The Golden Knights are in the stretch drive in trying to capture the Pacific Division and earn home-ice advantage through at least the first two rounds of the playoffs. They led the Oilers by four points entering Monday's play.
Vegas opens a four-game, six-day road trip Tuesday at Pittsburgh that also takes the club to Columbus, Buffalo and Detroit. It's a lot of action in a short amount of time, but only the Blue Jackets, at this point, would make the postseason.
The Golden Knights were rolling before the loss to the Kings, winning seven of eight games.
“We have to be ready to go,” Hertl said. “We have 19 games left. It's coming pretty fast.”
Hertl joined the Golden Knights last season as they were making a playoff push coming off their Stanley Cup championship. He had spent his career with divisional rival San Jose since entering the NHL in the 2013-14 season, twice scoring at least 30 goals and reaching more than 60 points three times.
But Hertl underwent left knee surgery in February of last year, and just a month later was a Golden Knight. He had the double whammy of being in the recovery process while also trying to establish chemistry with players he was used to battling against.
Hertl admittedly wasn't comfortable in trying to learn a new system, which was particularly evident in the seven-game first-round loss to the Dallas Stars. He produced just one goal and had no assists.
“The playoffs, he was chasing,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. "He missed time and comes back in a key part of the season and everyone's amped up. It's just the luck of the draw.
"At the start of this year, he found his way here. He was on the wing/center and now he's really comfortable. He's good in that net spot. The power play's been good from Day One, and now I think his five-on-five play is much improved simply because I think he's a product in our system of playing center for a little longer."
Two of Hertl's goals against Los Angeles came at even strength, but he also made one with the man advantage to put him alone in first place in Golden Knights history with 12 power-play goals.
Overall, he has 27 goals and 25 assists, making this potentially a career season for the 31-year-old, though reaching numbers he put up in the 2018-19 season (35 goals, 39 assists) won't be easy.
“He's not scared of going in that front, that dirty area and getting those goals,” center Nicolas Roy said. “He's obviously real good off the face-off as well. He's fun to watch.”
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