Vegas Golden Knights fans noticed something off with the team in Game 4. They saw a team that kept making mistakes on the ice, especially in the third period. There were turnovers throughout the game, leading to the Anaheim Ducks winning Game 4, 4-3.
Of course, there wasn't a particular Captain on the ice for the Golden Knights. His name? Mark Stone and he suffered a stinger from Game 3 that kept him out of commission for the next contest.
Some will say that his absence was a problem because the Golden Knights couldn't generate enough offense. The Golden Knights only got their third goal late in the game, thanks to Tomas Hertl. However, it goes much deeper than that.
In fact, it's something that can't be measured on a stat sheet. This is what we call "intangibles" in the sports world, where it measures other things within the universe. We're talking about the things that make an athlete an athlete. After all, that's the difference between Sidney Crosby and Alexandre Daigle.
So, what did the Golden Knights severely lack in Game 4 without Mark Stone. Well, it's much easier to see than you think. Here's why Vegas desperately needs its Captain back in the series, specifically in Game 5.
The Vegas Golden Knights desperately need Mark Stone back for his leadership
If you noticed the Golden Knights and how they played on Sunday, they didn't have anybody to rein the team in. Sure, you can say that the Golden Knights have had penalty problems throughout the playoffs. However, the problem goes deeper than that.
It also involved unorganized play. The Golden Knights had plenty of golden opportunities to cash in on juicy rebounds. However, there weren't any men in the high-danger spots to pick up the six. Those kind of plays make a difference between a win and a loss, especially when you have a chance to seize the series.
Mark Stone is the type of player to pick up those plays, changing the pace of the game. Without him, the Golden Knights don't have the bite needed to compete, which was apparent in the Utah Mammoth series. But it wasn't just these plays that mattered for the Golden Knights.
They needed someone who could position himself perfectly within the offense. The Golden Knights also struggled in this regard, which correlates with the rebound problem. If you can't pick up a Shea Theodore shot off the pad, you're not in a good position to win.
The sooner that the Golden Knights get Mark Stone back, the better. He brings more to the table than people realize, which is why Vegas is 8-10-5 without their Captain in the lineup. Here's hoping that some chickens are sacrificed in the process, making him magically healed... again.
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