Golden Knights lose to Kings in rookie game debut

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Forward Tomas Hyka will be the trivia answer when future generations of hockey fans try to remember who scored the first goal for the Vegas Golden Knights in a rookie game.
Hyka scored on a backhand shot 75 seconds into the game, but the Los Angeles Kings prospects scored five goals in the third period, three in a span of 1:06, to defeat the Golden Knights, 6-2, in a rookie game at Toyota Sports Center.

Forward Keegan Kolesar also scored for the Golden Knights.
"I was really excited for this game today because it was the first game with the jerseys on," Hyka said. "I felt really good and I'm really glad I can wear this jersey and be part of this organization."

Golden Knights general manager George McPhee felt a swell of pride when the players hit the ice for their first game.
"I was really proud when the guys came out on the ice in those uniforms," McPhee said. "They looked great. It turned out better than we could have hoped for. We'll be proud to wear them."
But McPhee wasn't happy when the game got away in the third period.
"It was a 6-2 game and I'm not happy about that," he said. "I'm trying to realize it's a rookie game and everything else, but I don't like 6-2."

Hyka was selected by the Kings in the sixth round (No. 171) in the 2012 NHL Draft and attended three of their development camps. He has spent the past three seasons playing for Mlada Boleslav in the Czech League.
"It happened really fast," said Hyka, who was the third player signed by the Golden Knights. "So I realized it after the first period that I scored against the team that drafted me. It felt great, but I'm disappointed we didn't win."
"We get half a point for that goal," Kings executive Jack Ferreira joked. "We drafted him."
Vegas goaltender Logan Thompson played the first 31 minutes and did not allow a goal. Jiri Patera gave up a goal on the first shot he faced, at 11:45 of the second period, and struggled in the third.
"It sure doesn't take long to get into it," McPhee said. "We had some hits and some scraps early on. Hockey's on.
"But it's a real good opportunity to evaluate players and we got good evaluation tonight. I liked the way we played early in the game. Didn't like the way we finished. It's one game and we'll see how we do tomorrow."