RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Tomas Hertl joined the Vegas Golden Knights in a trade in March 2024 when they were defending champions, fortifying a group that had just won the Stanley Cup and expected to contend perennially with an elite forward in his prime.
He had just one point in the playoffs that spring, a first-round exit, then just five last year in a second-round loss. It was “here we go again” when Hertl languished in the final 20 games of the regular
season without a goal, a stretch that reached 29 before he ended it against Anaheim on May 10.
That two-month drought now feels like ancient history, especially after Hertl was the hero in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night, scoring the go-ahead goal with under four minutes left to beat Carolina and take the lead in the series. It's his second winning goal in three games, and the scoring touch is back at just the right time for the Golden Knights.
“I haven’t coached him for long, and a lot of those games weren’t that good,” coach John Tortorella said. “I think he’s grown. He never stopped working. I thought there were some major struggles in his game, but he never stopped working at his game. It’s just great timing, just to try to balance our lineup. He has given us some very important minutes.”
Hertl will be counted on for more of those big minutes in Game 2 at the Hurricanes on Thursday night and beyond in the final. As one of the Vegas players who has not hoisted the Cup, he was certainly feeling the pressure when the puck wasn't going in the net earlier this postseason and his ice time got reduced as a result.
“Obviously, it’s not easy because everybody’s looking at me,” Hertl said. “I watched YouTube videos of how I score, talk with family and stuff."
A call from former San Jose teammate Joe Pavelski, who has scored 74 goals in 291 NHL playoff games, set him straight. They talked for a half-hour on May 9, Hertl scored the next night and then had a goal streak with two in a row.
“He’s still texting me, which I really appreciate it and obviously all the teammates always around me,” Hertl said.
Hertl's goal in the Cup final opener was the fourth of the night scored by a player who hasn't won the Cup. Carolina's Nikolaj Ehlers scored the first two, and teammate Shayne Gostisbehere tied it in the third period with what would have sent the game to overtime if not for Hertl finishing a beautiful backhanded feed from Colton Sissons.
“I just tried to get open, and I don’t even say a word and he just make an incredible play," Hertl said. ”I won’t say it was an easy shot, but I don’t think the goalie have time to move, so it was kind of open.”
The almost pained look of relief on Hertl's face from the second round this time was pure, unfiltered joy for the 32-year-old from Czechia.
Hertl's happiness was only matched and perhaps eclipsed by those of his teammates, who watched him go through the worst slump of his professional career. Now in his second final after losing with the Sharks in 2016, the way Hertl is playing makes Vegas look every bit like the winner it expects to be.
“Everyone goes through tough stretches,” original Golden Knights player Shea Theodore said. “His just kind of came at that bad time. He’s scored some really big goals for us here, and it’s great having him feel a little bit more and get that confidence.”
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