The Vegas Golden Knights triumphed over the Minnesota Wild in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff series, securing a 4-2 victory. Brett Howden emerged as a standout, netting two goals, while Tomas Hertl contributed one goal and an assist. Pavel Dorofeyev also found the back of the net, and goaltender Adin Hill made 18 saves to bolster the Knights’ defense.

The match saw an exchange of goals in the first period, with Hertl and Minnesota's Matt Boldy each scoring. Dorofeyev's goal during a power play gave Vegas a brief two-goal cushion, but Boldy's late effort kept the Wild within reach. Howden's empty-netter sealed the win as the Knights prepare for Game 2.

Tomas Hertl is set to return to the Vegas Golden Knights lineup after a two-week recovery from an upper-body injury sustained against the Tampa Bay Lightning. At the time of his injury, Hertl led the team with 31 goals, but Pavel Dorofeyev has since taken the lead with 33. Hertl's absence was notably felt on the power play, where he established a franchise record with 14 goals. The Knights have struggled in recent games, going scoreless on their last 10 power plays. Coach Bruce Cassidy emphasized the importance of Hertl's presence, hoping to reestablish the chemistry between him, Dorofeyev, and Brandon Saad. Meanwhile, Jack Eichel and Alex Pietrangelo remain sidelined, with Nicolas Hague returning from an illness.

The Vegas Golden Knights will be without their leading scorer, Jack Eichel, in their upcoming game against the Colorado Avalanche due to an upper-body injury. Eichel's absence is significant as he has struggled in recent games, failing to score or assist in his last four outings. The Golden Knights remain strong in the Pacific Division, holding a five-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings.

Meanwhile, the team has seen some positive developments with Tomas Hertl returning to practice after a lengthy injury absence. Backup goalie Ilya Samsonov is also nearing a return, having been out since March 23. With Eichel missing the chance to score his 100th goal for the franchise, players like Jonathan Marchessault and Mark Stone will need to step up their game to maintain their strong positioning as the regular season winds down.

This week in the NHL saw a significant number of injury updates that could greatly impact fantasy lineups as teams near the end of the regular season. The Buffalo Sabres are grappling with key absences as Josh Norris missed a game due to a mid-body injury, while Sam Lafferty was absent from practice. The Calgary Flames also faced setbacks with Mikael Backlund sidelined, while MacKenzie Weegar and Joel Farabee made their returns.

The Chicago Blackhawks are particularly hit hard, as Jason Dickinson is out for the season with a wrist injury, and Alec Martinez is day-to-day. In Detroit, the Red Wings are monitoring Elmer Soderblom, who will miss the upcoming game after re-aggravating an injury. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Kings’ Tanner Jeannot exited a game with an undisclosed injury, and Alex Turcotte is day-to-day.

Other notable mentions include the St. Louis Blues’ Colton Parayko, who is skating but not ready to return, and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Erik Cernak, who also suffered an injury. The Vegas Golden Knights are managing Tomas Hertl's absence on a road trip, while Alex Pietrangelo is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. With the regular season winding down, these injuries could significantly affect playoff aspirations and fantasy rosters alike.