Lawless: Stone's Valor On The Mark

"Valor is a gift. Those having it never know for sure whether they have it until the test comes." – American author Carl Sandburg

It used to be said in hockey that a team never became close until they fought together. Brawls don’t happen anymore. But fights still play a role in bonding a group, and watching their 34-year-old captain Mark Stone throw punches on Tuesday night brought a unified reaction from the Vegas Golden Knights.

The immediate response was palpable. The extended benefits are easy to predict. The moment was foisted on the captain, and he proved more than up for it. His valor is certified and it will resonate with his team and this fanbase moving forward.

A dangerous hit from Seattle Kraken forward Ben Meyers sent Vegas winger Victor Olofsson awkwardly into the boards and resulted in the Golden Knights leader in goals leaving the game and not returning.

The Golden Knights immediately focused on Olofsson following the injury, but on Stone’s next shift, he and Kraken defender Brandon Montour engaged. 

Stone earned the edge in the fight and finished it off with a takedown as well as one last right hook.

After the players were separated, Stone’s teammates banged their sticks on the boards by the bench, and the veteran winger skated in their direction and barked at them.

When he was released from the penalty box, the players repeated their show of recognition with a loud rapping of the sticks on the boards. Once seated on the bench, Stone received affectionate tussles and pats from his teammates. 

It’s one thing for a player who scraps on the regular or for a younger guy trying to make a name for himself to fight. It’s another for one of the best wingers in the game with standing and pedigree in the NHL to determine it’s time to rise and be counted on behalf of his teammates.

Stone has shown he can handle himself and now has seven fights in his NHL career, which is more than most players of his caliber in today’s game.

No doubt, watching Stone fight had lots of people holding their breath, and Vegas management won’t want it to become habit. 

Stone’s message in the moment may have been to the Kraken, but it truly resounded with his teammates, which is the most important audience of all for a captain.

The Golden Knights now own a 3-1-0 record through four games and have built the beginnings of a nice statistical picture in several areas.

These numbers were current heading into Wednesday’s action:

• 44-30 in high danger chances at 5v5 (+14, 3rd)
• +4 in special teams goals (3rd)
• Jack Eichel leads league in assists and points
• Olofsson is second in goals
• Tomas Hertl is seventh in goals and first in HD chances (18)
• Fifteen of 18 VGK skaters have points (3rd), goals from 10 (4th)
• Vegas blueline has combined for nine points (7th)

Vegas opens a two-game homestand Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, followed by Saturday's Welcome to Impossible Knight against the Los Angeles Kings.