Golden Knights center practices, status for Game 1 unknown

Center William Karlsson practiced Sunday, but his status for the start of the Vegas Golden Knights’ second-round series against the Anaheim Ducks remains uncertain, general manager Kelly McCrimmon said.

Karlsson joined the Knights for morning skate prior to Game 6 against the Utah Mammoth, his first public appearance with the team since suffering a lower-body injury that kept him out for six months.

“He continues to progress,” McCrimmon said. “That’s as far as I’ll go with respect to his availability.”

Karlsson skated as an extra forward as a full-contact participant the day before the Knights face the Ducks in Game 1 at T-Mobile Arena.

When asked Friday on how close Karlsson was, coach John Tortorella said, “We’re not even into that.”

Getting Karlsson on the ice, Tortorella said, was about him rejoining the team and making him feel part of the group.

McCrimmon said outside of Karlsson, the Knights are healthy heading into the first ever postseason meeting between the Pacific Division rivals.

Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon was not at practice after taking a puck to the head during Game 6. The Knights recalled defenseman Dylan Coghlan from Henderson.

Karlsson appeared in only 14 games this season and hasn’t played since Nov. 8 against Anaheim.

The 33-year-old played the first period, did the Knights’ intermission interview on TV, then never returned to action.

“It’s great to have him on the ice,” defenseman Shea Theodore said. “He’s had a long road off the ice getting himself back in shape, but it’s good to see him out there.