Stone Carrying The Load As Golden Knights Work Toward Getting Back On Track
Stone has 15 points since Dec. 17; ties Jack Eichel for team lead in points.
Mark Stone knows that nobody will be able to replace Jack Eichel, Shea Theodore or William Karlsson.
He understands that if the Vegas Golden Knights are to get through the next few weeks without Eichel and Co., he – and the others – will need to be on top of his game.
Stone flashed a glimpse of his A-game against the Nashville Predators. He scored his first regular-season hat trick in a 4-1 victory.
“Just got to play your game. I was just fortunate enough to be in shooting spots tonight. I'd be a fool to pass up the ones that I [scored], right?” Stone said. “Those are just those come some days and other days they don't. We just need to keep finding ways to play those 60-minute games as a good team.”
Stone has been a steady driver for the Golden Knights recently.
He has 15 points since Dec. 17, and moved into a tie with Eichel for the team lead in points with 44.
Stone will be looked up to carry the load for the Golden Knights, now with Eichel out week to week with a lower-body injury.
But Stone can’t be the only one.
Everyone is going to have to step up in the face of adversity, and so far Stone has been the only one.
Jonathan Marchessault scored his first goal since Dec. 21 in the game against the Predators, albeit an empty netter. He knows he must be better and said so himself after the loss to the Calgary Flames.
Michael Amadio and Brett Howden have six points between the two of them since Dec. 17.
Ivan Barbashev hasn’t scored a point since Dec. 28.
Those are guys who made a difference during the Stanley Cup run that aren’t producing, and their production is sorely missed now.
Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy, however, said he doesn’t expect perfection from his team.
“I don't think you ever have to be perfect, but you need to be good for longer stretches,” Cassidy said. “We've missed some guys that are difference makers, and then you get teams now that I think are closer to how they think they're playing their game for a full 60. It's just that time of year where the better teams will start separating. So obviously we want to be one of those. We do have to be a better version of ourselves for longer if we expect to get points.”
As for Stone, he’ll continue to control what he can control and attempt to play his best game at all times.
He hopes that it drives the others to getting back to playing their games.
“Obviously, you got to that no-excuse mentality,” Stone said. “Everyone’s gonna play a little bit better version of their game right? Everybody's gonna have to chip in and not play different roles, but just like better versions of themselves.”
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