Pacioretty, with Stone on his side this time, helps lead Knights to much-needed win

It was a shining night for one of the newest Golden Knights on Tuesday, taking center stage after most recently playing for a Canadian team in the Eastern Conference, and after his arrival to a team in just its second year of existence sent waves throughout the league.

That would of course be Max Pacioretty.

The former Montreal Canadien scored twice in the Golden Knights’ 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars at T-Mobile Arena, playing alongside former Ottawa Senator and newest acquisition Mark Stone.

After all the battles the pair had in Canada, the first game as teammates was a surreal experience, particularly when Pacioretty scored with his former rival on the ice.

“Different to see him come into the pile with me — I almost put my hands up to defend myself,” Pacioretty said. “It was fun, though, and I'm looking forward to doing that many more times.”

For parts of six seasons and one six-game playoff series in 2015, Pacioretty and Stone went blow-for-blow with each other as much as any players in the league. Stone said it was weird getting a welcome text from him, and the pair seemed in genuine disbelief even after Tuesday’s win that they were on the same side now.

“It’s different,” Stone said. “I walk in today for the first time and look at him as a teammate. I never thought that would happen.”

The two flanked Paul Stastny (who finished last year with the Winnipeg Jets) as the Golden Knights’ most productive unit. They held an 18-8 edge in Corsi at 5-on-5, as well as 7-3 advantage in scoring chances and 5-0 in high-danger scoring chances. Pacioretty had eight shots on goal, Stone had six and Stastny had one.

It was a much-needed win for Vegas, which had been outscored 45-30 during a 3-9-1 slide. The Golden Knights improved to 2-6-1 in their last nine home games and 4-1-0 all-time against Dallas.

Stone and Pacioretty also manned the point for 1:37 of a 5-on-3 power play in the third period. The Golden Knights didn’t score, but had six shots on goal.

“That was probably the best 5-on-3 I’ve ever been on in my life and we weren’t able to score,” Pacioretty said. “Being able to be on the same page and really move the puck around could have been the difference tonight.”

Even without the goal, it helped set the tone for perhaps the team’s best period of the season. They outshot the Stars 21-1 in the frame, a feat that the hockey gods rewarded with Pacioretty’s goofy game-winner, a centering attempt that went off a Star’s skate and into the net.

“That’s exactly how it goes,” Pacioretty said. “Being able to limit them to one shot in the third, we knew eventually it would break and that’s what happens.”

Nate Schmidt and Brayden McNabb added empty-net goals for Vegas. Marc-Andre Fleury, playing in his 100th game with the Golden Knights, snapped a five-game losing streak by making 23 saves. The 15-year veteran lost eight of his previous 10 starts, allowing 24 goals over his past six games.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.