Puck to drop for Vegas; this time, it’s for real

The Vegas Golden Knights players realize they are playing for more than themselves tonight in Dallas. The first regular-season game in franchise history, already a historic event two years in the making, quickly took on added meaning this week.

When the puck drops at 5 p.m. PDT at American Airlines Center, it will be less than five days since the tragedy that struck last Sunday, when a shooter rained bullets on a crowd on the Las Vegas Strip, killing 59 and injuring more 489 others.

That wound is still healing for the city, and members of the team who call Las Vegas their new home.

“You just count your blessings,” Golden Knights defenseman Jon Merrill said. “You realize how lucky we are to be able to play a game. It’s so insignificant to the real world and the problems we have, and when something like this happens you take a step back and realize what’s important in life.”

Tuesday, players visited first responders at Metro Police headquarters, families seeking refuge at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and locals donating blood at United Blood Services.

“Our organization will move heaven and earth to help in this community, and we pledge full support. We will grieve, heal and persevere together,” Golden Knights general manager George Mcphee said.

The organization donated $500,000 to the victims — $200,000 from he (Bill) Foley Family Charitable Trust and $100,000 each from the Golden Knights Foundation, the NHL and the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.

“Every time we step on the ice now we are going to be playing for all of the people