Vegas was bounced in the first round in a seven-game loss to the Dallas Stars. Hertl scored once and was minus-6, a shell of the player he’s been historically. It’s different now. Healthy, he’s a player who gives defensemen nightmares in the attacking zone, a raging bull that can’t be controlled and only occasionally contained.

The Pacific Division champion Golden Knights downed the wild-card Minnesota Wild 3-2 to take a 1-0 lead in the teams’ best-of-seven first-round series.

Brett Howden scored two goals, and the Vegas Golden Knights opened their first-round Western Conference playoffs series with a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild.