2 injured Knights skaters participate fully in practice

Mark Stone received a pat on the head from defenseman Alex Pietrangelo before Saturday’s skate at T-Mobile Arena started.

The Winnipeg native was also forced into the middle of the Golden Knights’ post-practice stretching circle ahead of their first-round series with the Jets.

It wasn’t an official welcome back to the lineup for Stone, who missed the Knights’ final 39 games with a back injury that required surgery. But the signs are increasingly positive.

Stone has been cleared for contact and skated in a normal jersey Saturday. Defenseman Zach Whitecloud also participated in full after missing the Knights’ final two games with a lower-body injury.

Coach Bruce Cassidy said he didn’t know whether either player would be available for Tuesday’s Game 1 against Winnipeg. The Knights want to see how they respond first.

“I think this is the first practice (Stone’s) really been in the soup, so to speak,” Cassidy said. “Let’s hope we wakes up tomorrow feeling just aches and pains of what a normal hockey player would feel, not necessarily pains from his injury.”

Getting Stone back for the playoffs would provide a huge lift for the Knights.

He’s an excellent two-way forward and the team’s emotional leader. His presence is important enough that Cassidy encouraged him to stay around the locker room while rehabbing from his Jan. 31 back surgery.

Stone started skating with the Knights again in a no-contact jersey Monday. He also was on the ice with the team Wednesday and Thursday morning before getting cleared for contact ahead of Saturday’s skate.

Stone practiced with left wing Michael Amadio and center Chandler Stephenson. The trio was effective during the regular season. The Knights outscored opponents 6-3 at five-on-five with the group on the ice, according to the website Natural Stat Trick.

“(We’ll) get him some reps with guys he’s comfortable with and see where it leads us,” Cassidy said.

Whitecloud was also happy to be back after being involved in a scary-looking collision April 8 against the Dallas Stars.

He was in the corner of the defensive zone when Stars center Roope Hintz crashed into the back of his left leg. It looked similar to a previous injury Whitecloud suffered, as Boston Bruins left wing Taylor Hall fell into his right leg Dec. 11 at T-Mobile Arena. Whitecloud didn’t play again until Feb. 7.

“I thought I was done,” Whitecloud said. “The way it felt, just the way (my knee) kind of went in, it’s hard to describe. I felt it go in, and I instantly thought ‘Oh no, I did the same thing to that knee as I did the other one.’”

Fortunately for Whitecloud, subsequent tests revealed the injury wasn’t as serious as initially feared. He was back in his normal spot on the Knights’ third pair Saturday with partner Nic Hague.

That means the team could have its six regular defensemen back to start the playoffs. The Knights are 31-10-3 when all six play.

“Obviously, a lot of things are running through your head,” Whitecloud said. “Angry. Scared. All that sort of stuff. But obviously, luckier this time around, I think. I’m really thankful for that. It could have been way worse.”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.