‘Expressive’ Mark Stone returns to form to fuel Golden Knights’ spirited rally

By Justin Emerson

Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021 | 11:25 p.m.

Alex Pietrangelo threw his head back and laughed when Mark Stone was asked a question about his emotive goal celebrations. The captain offered a sheepish “I don’t know,” a tone universally different from the unbridled exuberance after his game-tying goal.

Stone had plenty of reason to be excited. He scored twice, including the game-tying tally in the third, to help Vegas erase a two-goal deficit and beat the Dallas Stars 5-4 in a thriller at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday.

It was also personal vindication for Stone, who pointed out he had not scored against a goalie since his overtime winner in Game 5 against the Colorado Avalanche six months ago. So if he was a little expressive, he’ll be forgiven for savoring it.

“I hope it has a positive impact,” Stone said chuckling. “When we’ve got a sold-out building, the atmosphere we do every single night, it brings out those kinds of emotions in not just me but the entire team.”

Stone’s goal celebrations helped earn him the hashtagged nickname #ExpressiveMarkStone in hockey’s social media world, and those reactions are well-documented. It’s a stark contrast from the man who sits at the podium after games, ever stoic and thoughtful.

This was the kind of game the Golden Knights needed from their captain. His stats weren’t bad coming into the night — 12 points in 12 outings — but only one of those was a goal, and that goal was into an empty net. The typical defense and playmaking was there, but it felt like Stone still had another level to reach.

Because when Stone is on, he looks an awful lot like he did on Wednesday. He caught Pietrangelo’s seam pass in the second period and opened Vegas’ scoring seconds after the power play ended.

When Joe Pavelski scored his second of the game to put the Stars up 4-2 in the third, Tyler Seguin narrowly missed a wide-open chance that would have put the game to bed. Instead, Michael Amadio scored 35 seconds later to trim the Dallas lead to 4-3.

Stone said on the bench after the goal that was the opening they needed. They were dominant at 5-on-5 all game despite allowing three power-play goals, and finished with a 44-23 lead in shots on goal. They deserved to win the game.

“Oftentimes that’s how the hockey gods work,” forward Max Pacioretty said. “You just feel like that’s the break you’re going to get and you’re going to go the other way and it was such a good goal.”

Stone backed it up with action. Two shifts later, he steamrolled to the net to pick up the rebound that bounced off Braden Holtby’s pad and that was that.

Bardown. Second of the night. Jubilation and a tie game.

“It’s crazy. I love it,” Pietrangelo said. “I’ve never seen someone get so excited. I think he almost broke my hand on that first (celebration).”

As if going to overtime would satisfy Stone on a night like tonight. On his very next shift he set up Pacioretty for the game-winning goal, bagging an assist for his first three-point game since opening night and extending his point streak to six games.

“He’s our captain for a reason,” Pacioretty said. “It’s a good night to talk about him because he really took charge tonight.”

It was the Golden Knights’ fourth multigoal comeback of the season, most in the NHL, and handed the Stars their first regulation loss when leading after two periods (8-1-1).

And for a team who spent the first quarter of the season just trying to stay afloat with all the injuries they’ve suffered, they’ve now won three in a row: a blowout win in Arizona, a defensive battle with the Flames, and now a rollicking comeback against the Stars.

It feels like they’re finally back to where they’ve felt they could be all along — a true threat to win the Pacific Division and even more. When their captain and best player is playing the way he did Wednesday, anything feels possible.

“Coming back, battling that adversity was huge for our team,” Stone said. “Hopefully it can kickstart something big in finishing off this homestand.”