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New power-play role for Mark Stone ignites Golden Knights

The Golden Knights’ power play hasn’t led the team to many wins this season.

But it gave the Knights just the spark they needed Monday in a 3-2 shootout win over the San Jose Sharks at T-Mobile Arena. And to no one’s surprise, it was the team captain leading the way.

Right wing Mark Stone scored two power-play goals to help the Knights erase a 2-0 deficit against their rivals. It’s only the third time they have scored two power-play goals in a game.

“He’s done that all year for us,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “That was a huge power-play goal. Both power-play goals. Hopefully that’s a sign of things to come from our power play.”

The Knights have been tinkering with their power play constantly in recent weeks to try to breathe some life into a unit that ranks 23rd in the NHL.

One of those adjustments has been moving Stone to a net-front role on the goal line. He spent most of the season out wide across from left wing Max Pacioretty, but center Cody Glass’ recent demotion to the American Hockey League opened up a spot in front of the net.

Stone has adapted well to his new role. He scored his first goal Monday by simply tipping a shot from defenseman Shea Theodore past Sharks goaltender Martin Jones. Then, in the third period, he executed a power move by taking the puck by the goal line and throwing it on net.

“Both great plays by (Stone) being in front and going to the dirty areas,” Theodore said.

It was Stone’s third two-goal game of the season and his fifth straight multipoint game. He has 52 points in 45 games and needs four more to ensure that he becomes the first player in Knights history to score at a point-per-game rate for a season.

“That’s a big win for us,” Stone said. “Maybe it was the power play that kept us in the game. Maybe on Wednesday, it’ll be the penalty kill that’ll keep us in the game and the five-on-five explodes. You have to find ways to win in different ways in crunch time, and we’ve done a pretty good job of that in the last stretch.”

Here are three more takeaways from the win:

1. Putting Marleau’s record in context

Sharks forward Patrick Marleau set the NHL’s all-time games played record by making his 1,768th appearance.

It’s a mark no Knights player is close to. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is first on the team with 877 games played. Next are left wing Max Pacioretty (805), defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (787), right wing Ryan Reaves (686) and defenseman Alec Martinez (650).

“I told him it was an honor for us to be out there and share the ice with him in that game,” said Pacioretty, who chatted with Marleau before the opening faceoff. “It’s something that we’ll always remember, obviously not to his extent.”

Marleau played his first NHL game Oct. 1, 1997. Defensemen Nic Hague and Dylan Coghlan weren’t born yet. Center Nicolas Roy and defenseman Zach Whitecloud were younger than 1. Right wing Alex Tuch was 1.

“He’s an icon in this league,” Tuch said. “It’s pretty crazy to think about. He’s had an unbelievable career.”

2. Sharks come up short

The Sharks led 2-1 entering the third period but couldn’t hold on to win in regulation.

They’ve lost all six of their games to the Knights and earned only two points of a possible 12. San Jose’s last win against the Knights in regulation was Jan. 10, 2019. The teams have met 12 times in the regular season since then.

3. Smith misses first game

Right wing Reilly Smith didn’t play for the first time this season. He’s considered day to day.

Tuch took his spot on the second line. Smith’s linemates, center William Karlsson and left wing Jonathan Marchessault, are the only two players who haven’t missed a game.

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

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