Golden Knights’ Max Pacioretty eager to return to NHL playoffs

Golden Knights winger Max Pacioretty wasn’t getting ready to play hockey a year ago.

The then-Canadiens captain was packing his locker in Montreal for what ended up being the final time. He watched the NHL playoffs on his couch after a disappointing season, and now that he’s back in the postseason, he wants to use those memories as fuel.

“Not playing last year and getting a taste of sitting back and watching teams like this have success, it was frustrating,” Pacioretty said. “I’ve got to remember that this time of year.”

Pacioretty was traded to the Knights five months after the Canadiens’ 2017-18 campaign ended without a playoff berth for just the second time in six seasons. This season, he’s ready to compete on a different side of the bracket in the Western Conference after spending his time in Montreal battling the Ottawa Senators (twice), Tampa Bay Lightning (twice), New York Rangers (twice) and Boston Bruins.

“It’s excitement,” Pacioretty said. “We accomplished our first goal, that’s to get in. Once you’re in, anything can happen, and we really want to show what this team’s made of. After that (Mark Stone) trade, we feel like we have the depth to compete with any team in the league.”

Pacioretty also has history with the Knights’ first-round opponent, the Sharks. He never won in San Jose with the Canadiens — the franchise has a losing streak there that dates to Nov. 23, 1999 — so being a part of the Knights’ 7-3 victory there March 18 was huge.

“To come here and get that first win out of the way was important for myself,” Pacioretty said. “Now, we have to go in there and play some good hockey. Each individual and myself included.”

Season series

The Knights took five of a possible eight points from their four regular-season meetings with the Sharks with an 18-10 edge in goals. So there’s a lot for the team to draw from in its preparation for Game 1 Wednesday.

“It’s nice being able to play a team that many times so you know what to expect,” forward Reilly Smith said. “There shouldn’t be too many surprises for us, so we really have to focus on what we can do to sustain pressure and play to our style.”

Gallant on Haula

Forward Erik Haula, who injured his right knee in November and had surgery, is skating on his own. Coach Gerard Gallant said he won’t discuss Haula’s availability until he joins the Knights for practice.

“The guy’s on a long rehab,” Gallant said. “We’re just letting him do what he has to do. I’m not going to talk about Erik Haula right now.”

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Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.