LAS VEGAS — Golden Knights captain Mark Stone returned Friday night during a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars, and his impact was felt immediately.
Vegas scored two goals on a power play for just the fourth time this season, and Stone was on the ice for both of them.
Stone played in Vegas’ first 13 games, a stretch in which the team ranked third in the NHL on the power play with a 33.3% clip, with 11 goals in 33 opportunities.
During Stone’s 14-game absence, that number dipped to 19.4% and ranked 15th in the league, with just six goals in 31 chances between Nov. 7 and the start of Friday’s game.
With the game scoreless late in the first period, Stone was masterful deep in the zone, where he took a pass from Shea Theodore and gave a quick fake to draw Ilya Lyubushkin away from the slot, where he fed Tomas Hertl who elevated a quick wrister to beat Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger.
Tied in the second period, Stone started a passing carousel from behind the net to get the one-man-down Stars chasing the Knights. Stone took a pass from Jack Eichel at the goal line and drove through the crease to create havoc while causing Oettinger to kick the puck into open ice. Theodore was there to gather the puck and feed Eichel in the left circle for a one-time swipe.
With its 2-for-6 finish on the power play in Friday’s game, the Golden Knights now rank fifth in the NHL with their 27.1% conversion rate.
