ANAHEIM, Calif. — There was no update on Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone after suffering a lower-body injury in Game 3 against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday.
If you’re hoping for any further update on Stone — or any other injured player for that matter — from coach John Tortorella moving forward, there is bad news afoot.
“I’m going to tell you guys, I’m not going to give you any updates on injuries,” Tortorella said. “So, you might as well stop asking that question.”
Tortorella prefaced that by saying he had not yet spoken to the training staff, but it opens the door of possibility that Stone will not be available for Sunday’s Game 4 at Honda Center.
The Knights lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.
Stone left the ice with 1:03 remaining in the first period after appearing to strain something while skating in the neutral zone during a Knights power play.
He returned to the bench midway through the second period, skated during a TV timeout, re-aggravated the injury, went down the tunnel and did not return.
The Knights powered through without their 33-year-old captain to the tune of a 6-2 win in Game 3 on Friday.
Despite taking a 3-0 lead into the second period and a 5-0 lead after 40 minutes, Tortorella said “there’s still a lot of things we need to clean up in our game.”
“But we found a way,” he added.
Stone played 4 minutes, 24 seconds and had an assist in seven shifts before exiting.
But with any injury to Stone, there’s always cause for concern. He missed 22 games in the regular season — 16 at the start of the year to a broken finger, five more due to an upper-body injury in March, and one more for rest purposes following the Winter Olympics.
Stone missed 126 games from 2022-25 between two back surgeries, a lacerated spleen and a pulled muscle.
Despite the missed time this year, Stone had 28 goals and tied his career-high with 73 points.
“You never want to see somebody go down, especially somebody like (Stone),” center Jack Eichel said. “He means so much to the group, both on the ice with his play and his leadership and intangibles he brings to our group.”
If Stone comes out of the lineup Sunday, the Knights have Brandon Saad or Reilly Smith as options. Saad last played on April 11 in Colorado, while Smith hasn’t played since the clinching Game 6 in Utah on May 1.
Either one would likely skate on the third line, while Pavel Dorofeyev would return to the top line with Eichel and left wing Ivan Barbashev.
History is on the Knights’ side even with Stone not available. They’re 6-0 in series when they have a 2-1 lead and they start the series at home.
Anaheim is coming off its worse game of the series after controlling play through the first two. The dynamic could change if Stone is out.
“Tons of credit to the group,” Eichel said. “I think everyone’s kind of stepped up a bit. When something like that happens, lines are going to be rolling around and moving a bit, I don’t think we broke stride and just tried to continue what we were doing. Hopefully we get (Stone back). He’s such a huge part of our team.”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
Up next
Who: Golden Knights at Ducks
What: Game 4, second round (Knights lead 2-1)
When: 6:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, Calif.
TV: ESPN
Radio: KFLG 94.7 FM/KKGK 1340 AM
Line: Knights -115; total 6½
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Series schedule
Knights lead series 2-1
Game 1: Knights 3, Ducks 1
Game 2: Ducks 3, Knights 1
Game 3: Knights 6, Ducks 2
Game 4: Sunday, 6:30 p.m. at Honda Center (ESPN)
Game 5: Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN)
*Game 6: Thursday, TBD at Honda Center (TNT)
*Game 7: May 16, TBD at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN or ABC)
*if necessary
