Well, at least the Vegas Golden Knights didn't lose in overtime, right? They also got Mark Stone back, which is always a Thanksgiving blessing. However, it wasn't enough as the Golden Knights still lost in the shootout to the Ottawa Senators, 4-3.
While the Golden Knights outshot the Senators, 35-23, it still wasn't enough against Linus Ullmark. The Swedish goaltender turned in a vintage performance by stopping 32 shots on goal, including a clean sweep in the shootout.
Still, the Golden Knights jump back into second place by way of having more regulation wins (Vegas has nine, compared to Seattle and Los Angeles having seven). They get the loser point (again...), bumping their total up to 28.
Meanwhile, Ottawa also jumps into second place in their respective division by virtue of... fewer games played. They have 28 points on the season while bumping their record to 12-7-4. It looks like the age of parity continues in the NHL, my friend.
But let's focus on the Captain returning for a second. Mark Stone made his triumphant return at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday, delighting the fans while getting a standing ovation. You can tell he's beloved in this town. But how did he perform in his return?
The Mark Stone effect is alive and well for the Vegas Golden Knights
If you haven't heard the news a million times on here or on social media, the Vegas Golden Knights got Mark Stone back. The Captain had a power play goal, three shots on goal, two hits and three takeaways. If that wasn't enough, the Golden Knights actually looked... alive.
What was an average attack heading into Wednesday's game against the Senators looked like it was kickin'. We're talking about an aggressive forecheck that generated scoring opportunities for Vegas, keeping Linus Ullmark on his toes after the first period. In fact, they nearly won the game if some shots didn't hit the crossbar.
Wednesday might've been a minor tune-up for the Captain. However, expect more from Stone as the season ramps up. The Golden Knights get better in many facets, as proven by Wednesday's game against Stone's former club.
Mark Stone isn't the only key Golden Knight who needs to return
While Stone was exactly what the doctor ordered, it looked like it was the usual slumping Golden Knights in the first period. Akira Schmid let in two soft goals, putting Ottawa up 2-0. Considering that Carl Lindbom is still a bit raw, the Golden Knights are in a compromised position in the net.
However, Carter Hart is eligible to return on December 1st, giving the Golden Knights a veteran option to work with. Still, there's another player missing from the mix: Adin Hill. When you have a goaltender who posted a GAA of 2.47, a save percentage of .906, and four shutouts last season, you need him in net.
The problem is that nobody knows how long he'll be out. Rumor has it that he could be out longer than anticipated. That could put a massive wrinkle in the goaltending position, leaving Vegas with more patchwork netminding for the coming months.