Golden Knights face 18 games in 35 days in a tight Pacific Division playoff race

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Vegas Golden Knights went into the break for the Olympics with a four-point lead in the Pacific Division and knowing what awaited them once they got back together for a potentially brutal stretch run.

That begins Wednesday night in Los Angeles, the first of 18 games in 35 days that will shape the playoff race.

“It's a lot of hockey coming up and it's important hockey,” said forward Tomas Hertl, who played for Czechia in the Olympics. “Everybody's fighting for the playoffs. You have to be ready because the games will come really fast, and you have to find a way to take care of your body because it's already a long season for some of us.”

Coach Bruce Cassidy, back from Milan after serving as a Team Canada assistant, will oversee a club that placed eight players on Olympics rosters. An NHL-high five played all the way to Sunday's gold medal game, a 2-1 overtime victory by the United States over Canada.

The three Canadian players — Mitch Marner, Mark Stone and Shea Theodore — were not at practice Tuesday, but could be back in time to play the Kings. Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin, who played on the American squad, were in Washington celebrating at the White House and later the State of the Union and not expected to play until Vegas visits the Capitals on Friday.

“Having a break could help us short term and long term,” Cassidy said. "What I mean short term is they get to recover. It could hurt your roster tomorrow night. You're taking five world-class players out, but if you look at the big picture, that's something we are considering to give them time to decompress and then get back to work.

“We wouldn't be the only team going through it. A lot of teams have got to make a decision in that regard. It's an important game against LA — they're all important — but is it going to benefit us more at the end by giving them a few extra days? That's kind of what we're mulling over.”

Cassidy is getting back reinforcements. Defenseman Brayden McNabb (upper body) and forwards Brandon Saad (undisclosed) and Colton Sissons (upper body) were activated off injured reserve.

Others players who may or may not return in the near future include centers William Karlsson (lower body) and Brett Howden (lower body), forward Jonas Rondbjerg (undisclosed) and goalie Carter Hart (lower body).

Cassidy said the time off probably benefited everyone but goalie Adin Hill, who went into the break by putting together a 32-save effort in a 4-1 victory over the Kings. That performance followed a four-game span in which he allowed 17 goals.

“He probably wanted to get right back in the net,” Cassidy said.

Hill likely will split playing time over the upcoming busy stretch with Akira Schmid, back after playing for Switzerland.

“I'll play as many as they want me to play and I'll be ready to go,” Hill said. “I'm just looking for some wins.”

The Golden Knights entered the break with two much-needed victories after a stretch in which they lost seven of eight games. Those struggles kept Vegas' divisional rivals within striking distance.

Now it's like October again as the Golden Knights and the rest of the NHL get going.

“It's a pretty long break,” Saad said. “It's a good mental reset finishing the last five or six weeks of the season. It feels a little different, but also you get excited to finish off the year strong and get to the playoffs.”

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