Golden Knights forward eyeing playoff run from Worlds

COPENHAGEN, Denmark --Tomas Hyka has one eye on a gold medal and the other on the Vegas Golden Knights.
The 25-year-old forward has a vested interest in both.

Hyka, who is representing the Czech Republic at the 2018 IIHF World Championship, is keeping up with the Golden Knights, his NHL team, while it continues its storybook run toward the Stanley Cup.
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"When I signed with the Golden Knights, I couldn't imagine after eight months we could lift the Cup," Hyka said. "The guys can really do it. They're playing really hard and really good. It's going to be tough, but I think they can do it."
Vegas advanced to the Western Conference Final with a 3-0 win against the San Jose Sharks in Game 6 of the second round at SAP Center on Sunday.
Despite Hyka's allegiance, it hasn't been easy for him to keep up. Hyka, who became the third player in the organization's history after forwards Reid Duke and Vadim Shipachyov when he signed with the Golden Knights on June 1, 2017, is nine hours ahead in Copenhagen.
It put Vegas' latest series-clinching win at around 4 a.m. local time for Hyka.
"I honestly haven't been able to watch the games, but I watch the highlights every morning," said Hyka, who had three points (one goal, two assists) in 10 games for Vegas this season. "It's been awesome so far. The guys are doing really good. Hopefully they'll go for it."

The Golden Knights became the third team in NHL history to win multiple playoff series in their inaugural season, joining the 1918 Toronto Arenas and 1968 St. Louis Blues, and will face the winner of the Winnipeg Jets-Nashville Predators second-round series.
Game 7 is at Nashville on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS).
"Everyone just competes so hard, it's just how the team works," said Hyka, who also had 48 points (15 goals, 33 assists) for Chicago of the American Hockey League. "Everyone really takes care of each other. I can't really even explain it. You just feel the energy in the locker room. It's a great group of guys, great coaching staff, great organization. Everything. It's awesome."
The Golden Knights' success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs has come after an unparalleled first NHL season. They finished first in the Pacific Division to become the first modern-era expansion team from any of the four major sports, and first NHL team since the 1926-27 New York Rangers, to win its division in an inaugural season while setting first-year records for wins (51) and points (109).
Vegas is also the first NHL expansion team started from scratch to qualify for the playoffs in its first season since 1967-68. No team that joined the League since 1991 advanced to the playoffs before its third season.
Now the Golden Knights are eight wins from hoisting the Stanley Cup.
"I think the guys so far, they know the season was a little bit surprising," Hyka said. "As the season went, we were like, 'Yeah we can do it.' They can really do it.
"I think they can really win the Cup."