ANAHEIM, Calif. — The goal could’ve gone in any imaginable way. The fact is, it went in.
The Vegas Golden Knights will soon find out if Tomas Hertl’s goal in the waning moments of Game 4 Sunday against the Anaheim Ducks is what gets the center going.
Hertl’s goal with 1:04 remaining in the Knights’ 4-3 loss was his first goal since March 4, ending a run of 29 games — including playoffs — without finding the back of the net.
“You know with goal scorers, an empty-netter, 6-on-5, it doesn’t matter,” coach John Tortorella said. “If the puck goes in the net, hopefully it releases him a little bit.”
Hertl is, in fact, a goal scorer. He has a shot, but the basic construct of his game is using his 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame to get to the front of the net.
Even though the goal came with the Knights down two and with an extra attacker on the ice, he jammed the puck through Anaheim goalie Lukas Dostal to give the Knights a chance late.
But it’s a 2-2 series heading into Game 5 at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday, and the Knights have home-ice advantage with the series now a best-of-three.
“He’s been close for quite a while,” Tortorella said. “He bangs one in, and hopefully that will help him as we move forward.”
The Knights are going to need all the help they can get if captain Mark Stone isn’t close to a return.
Stone missed Sunday after leaving Game 3 with a lower-body injury, putting the status of one of the Knights’ important playmakers into question for what will be the most important game of the year.
It’s no shock the Knights are a different team without Stone. Take out his defensive ability and hockey IQ, and it makes a difference. They were 8-9-5 without him during the regular season.
With him, they were 31-17-12.
“You move on,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “It doesn’t matter what the score was. It could’ve been 6-0, 1-0, whatever it may be. It’s a best-of-three with home ice. We have to get our rest and be ready for the next one.”
But if that goal is what turns Hertl’s confidence around, it could be what the Knights need as they try to stay above water without Stone.
Hertl went back on the first power-play unit with, Mitch Marner taking Stone’s spot below the goal line. Hertl will get his chances from his net-front position.
Even strength is going to be the question, because Hertl’s line hasn’t produced from that perspective.
Brandon Saad was the replacement for Stone on Sunday, but he played a team-low 7:20. Hertl’s line with Saad and Kolesar was outshot 4-1 while on the ice for 4:10 at 5-on-5, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Tortorella felt the line gave the Knights some good minutes, but the line just fell out of favor because of special teams.
The Knights committed four penalties and had three power plays of their own.
“The big guy there is Tommy. He’s seen all the power play time. He’s a good faceoff guy,” Tortorella said. “He’s the one I think needs to kick in here, and hopefully him scoring a goal is going to help him. We’ll see.”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
Up next
Who: Ducks at Golden Knights
What: Game 5, second round (series tied 2-2)
When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday
Where: T-Mobile Arena
TV: ESPN
Radio: KFLG 94.7 FM/KKGK 1340 AM
Line: Knights -155; total 6
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Series schedule
Series tied 2-2
Game 1: Knights 3, Ducks 1
Game 2: Ducks 3, Knights 1
Game 3: Knights 6, Ducks 2
Game 4: Ducks 4, Knights 3
Game 5: Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN)
Game 6: Thursday, 6:30 p.m. at Honda Center (TNT)
*Game 7: Saturday, TBD at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN or ABC)
*if necessary
