NHL: Veags scoring leader is the real Neal

James Neal will go down in history as a the answer to three Vegas Golden Knights trivia questions: Who scored the first goal in Golden Knights history? Who scored their first gamewinning goal? And who scored the first Golden Knights’ power-play goal?

Bonus points if you knew those were three different goals, over the five he scored in the first three games.

Tomas Nosek, however, got the first goal at Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena.

ARENA LOVE: Red Wings fans seem smitten with their new Little Caesars Arena, to the point where the second and third period start with the seats half empty even though the seats are sold out. There’s a lot to do, it turns out, on the concourse.

“That’s one of the challenges of a great building with so much to offer, especially with a new building where they’re checking things out,” Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “And we need them in the stands. It’s a loud building. So it will be a huge home ice advantage when they’re in the stands.”

THRASH HASH: There aren’t many Atlanta Thrashers left on the Winnipeg Jets roster. Tobias Enstrom, Dustin Byfuglien, Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little were part of the move to Winnipeg in the summer of 2011. Little and Enstrom, who started together in the 2006-07 season, are the deans. Little is a little surprised to have stayed with the one organization that long. “You never know what is going to happen. You maybe get moved, or sign with another team. I didn’t know I’d be here this long, but I’m glad I am,” he said.

CAPTAIN SERIOUS: Given his Blackhawks were eliminated early in the first round, Jonathan Toews hasn’t had quite as long a summer as the one just finished. But he said he used it to his advantage.

“No doubt the rest that comes with a longer summer helps, mentally for starters. At this point in my career, you have to realize what is working for you and what you have to change. You see how fast the game has become, with the young players coming in. So I worked on my weaknesses accordingly.”