LAS VEGAS -- Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson returned on Monday night, in his club's 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks, after missing nearly six months with a lower-body injury.
After sitting out Vegas' Round 1 win over the Utah Mammoth, Karlsson was front and center as the Golden Knights opened the Western Conference semifinal with their fourth straight postseason win.
"He doesn't speak a lot, just plays the game the right way," Golden Knights coach John Tortorella said before the win. "Looking forward to getting him back in the lineup."
Karlsson was hurt in the first period of Vegas' 4-3 overtime loss against the Ducks on Nov. 8.
"It's been a long journey, but now I'm here," Karlsson said. "It feels good."
In a tight game between division rivals, Karlsson skated in 20 shifts in his return game, covering 11:09 time on the ice. He registered one shot on net.
Karlsson had four goals and three assists early in the season before the injury. He had back-to-back 50-point seasons, but finished with only 29 in 53 games last season, when he was sidelined twice because of injuries.
The Golden Knights held out the possibility that Karlsson, who has been an excellent two-way player, would return at some point even if it was deep in the playoffs. The organization never placed him on long-term injured reserve.
"I always had the goal in the back of my head that I wanted to return," Karlsson said before the win. "I always believed, so that kind of kept me going."
Speculation of his return intensified when Karlsson returned to practice last week in Salt Lake City. He also practiced with the club's American Hockey League affiliate in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson.
Karlsson said getting his timing back could be an issue, but he thought "conditioning should be there. Get the chemistry going with the team again."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
