Mark Stone is back, and his timing could not have been better. The Vegas Golden Knights captain returned from a lower-body injury on Sunday and sparked one of the biggest comebacks of the playoffs. His power-play goal just 19 seconds into the second period kicked off a 5-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche.

After the game, Stone was honest about how the team started. Vegas fell into a 3-0 hole in the first period and looked flat.

"I don't know if we were a little comfortable going into the game but you knew they were going to bring their best," Stone said. "I mean down 0-2 they're going to have their best period of the season and we just didn't match it."

He pointed to a few key moments that hurt them early. A disallowed goal threw them off, and a short-handed goal made things worse.

"We didn't handle the no goal call very well. We gave a shorty right after," Stone said. "And we had a power play to execute early. We did which is huge."

So what happened between periods? Stone said there were no big speeches or yelling. The message was simple. Stick to the plan.

"You can't change right. We've been in that situation a lot this year unfortunately," he said. "You can't chase especially as a team like this. If you try to get running gun they're going to bury us. So we got back on hard again and started playing well."

Stone also opened up about how tough it was to watch from the press box. After missing five games, getting back on the ice meant everything.

"It's just great. It's a lot easier to watch when you win," Stone said. "But there's nothing like playing these types of games with your teammates, your best friends. This is just a special environment to be in."

Stone's 2025-26 Season and the Road Ahead

Stone has been a key piece for Vegas all year long. He put up 73 points in 60 regular-season games, with 28 goals and 45 assists. That was his best output in seven years.

His +26 rating also shows just how strong his two-way game has been. Stone averaged 19:12 of ice time per night and remained one of the league's most complete forwards.

The playoffs have been more of the same. Stone has four goals and five assists in 10 games. He was hurt in Game 3 of the second round against Anaheim and missed five straight games before Sunday's return.

His teammates are thrilled to have him back. Defenseman Noah Hanifin said it best.

"His talent speaks for itself, but his character and leadership, just to have him back in the room, get his voice back, is going to be huge for our team," Hanifin said. "Any time he comes back, it's like he didn't miss a beat."

Now Vegas turns its eyes to Game 4. The Golden Knights can sweep the Avalanche on Tuesday, May 26, at T-Mobile Arena. With Stone back in the lineup, they're one win away from another Stanley Cup Final trip.

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Written by

Sahil Prashar

Edited by

Sahil Prashar