Vegas Golden Knights rule captain Mark Stone out of Game 4 with injury
Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone has been ruled out of Sunday’s Western Conference semi-final Game 4 against the Anaheim Ducks with an undisclosed injury.
The 33-year-old appeared to tweak his lower body while chasing a puck late in the first period of his team’s Game 3 victory.
Despite returning to the bench in the second period, the two-way specialist was unable to take another shift.
Prior to his early exit, the captain had already made an impact by assisting on defenceman Shea Theodore’s opening goal.
Saad answers the call
Veteran winger Brandon Saad will now draw into the lineup to replace the injured skipper.
“That’s a tough guy to replace,” Saad said regarding the significant void left on the ice.
The absent forward has been a crucial playoff performer for Vegas, registering 70 points in 94 career postseason appearances.
He previously recorded two goals and three assists during the elimination of Utah in the first round, adding another two points against the Ducks.
Tortorella opts for experience
Head coach John Tortorella chose between two highly experienced options, ultimately selecting Saad over Reilly Smith to fill the vacancy.
“Either one, it’s not a bad choice,” Tortorella explained.
“They’ve both given us good minutes. Saader goes in tonight.”
Now in his 15th NHL season, the two-time Stanley Cup winner has yet to feature in the 2026 postseason.
The former Chicago Blackhawks winger tallied three goals and nine assists in 49 regular-season games this year.
“You just want an opportunity to get in and prove yourself,” he said of dealing with being a playoff scratch for the first time.
“Staying in shape and all of that is easy. Getting in the games mentally, when you’re not playing the games every day, it’s a different energy.”