Tomas Hertl’s bounce back has been a game changer for Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights took a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Colorado Avalanche with a 5-3 win in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final Sunday night, thanks in large part to a two-point effort from forward Tomas Hertl.

It’s been an up-and-down Stanley Cup Playoffs for Hertl, who through the first nine games of the postseason had just two assists and was averaging just over 13 minutes of ice time per game. But in his last six games, he’s got three goals and four assists for seven points, including a goal and assist in Sunday night’s win over the Avalanche.

On Monday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discuss the Golden Knights’ comeback win over Colorado and how well the 32-year-old forward has looked in the last few weeks.

Tyler Yaremchuk: We talked before this series about how the depth of the Golden Knights is going to have to be a difference maker, and Hertl was a guy who earlier in this postseason, we worried about his place in the lineup.

He ends up getting the game-winning goal in Game 3, just his third of the playoffs, and since he’s woken up, he’s got points in six of his last seven games. This Golden Knights looks deeper and different.

Carter Hutton: That’s been a big, big factor for this Golden Knights team: If it’s not Jack Eichel scoring, guys like Hertl are chipping in. William Karlsson got involved in Game 3. It’s spread out across the board and I think that’s been a big factor for Vegas going up 3-0.

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…