Golden Knights’ Hertl receives game misconduct for hit from behind vs. Wild

The Vegas Golden Knights spent much of Monday’s loss to the Minnesota Wild without one of their top forwards.

Tomas Hertl received a game misconduct just over two minutes into the game for hitting Minnesota’s Ryan Hartman from behind and into the boards.

Hertl was assessed a five-minute major for boarding, in addition to the misconduct.

The 32-year-old Czech native played just 55 seconds before departing.

“When you first see it, you hardly think (much of it),” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said when asked about the call post-game. “You consider the circumstance, it’s Tomas Hertl, they go into the boards together. I get it. But I was surprised it was a five-minute and an ejection.

“Usually an ejection, there’s a little bit of nefarious behaviour… I didn’t see that, but not my decision to make.”

Hartman was able to remain in the game and logged 13:01 of ice time

Hertl entered Monday’s action with 15 goals and 29 points in 36 games, skating 18:01 per night for the second-place Golden Knights.

Vegas ended up dropping the contest 5-2, its fifth loss in its last six games.