Vegas Golden Knights team captain Mark Stone has been ruled out for Sunday’s Game 4 matchup against the Anaheim Ducks, head coach John Tortorella confirmed.
The team leader suffered a lower-body injury during the closing moments of the opening period in Friday night’s commanding 6-2 win against Anaheim. The Golden Knights currently hold a 2-1 advantage in the seven-game Western Conference second-round playoff series.
Veteran forward Brandon Saad will step into the lineup to replace Stone, who has contributed seven points through nine playoff contests this season with three goals and four assists.
Stone, who celebrates his 34th birthday this Wednesday, posted career-best numbers during the regular season with 73 points on 28 goals and 45 assists, along with a plus-26 rating across 60 games.
Throughout his NHL career spanning 766 games between Ottawa (2012-19) and Vegas, Stone has accumulated 707 points with 259 goals and 448 assists, maintaining a plus-167 rating.
