Stone had missed five games with a lower-body injury, including the first two of this series, both of which Vegas won at Ball Arena in Denver. The 34-year-old took part in the team’s optional skate on Saturday and looked spry and upbeat on the ice, laughing and joking with assistant coaches on a number of occasions.
“It’s huge,” Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin said when asked about Stone’s addition to the lineup. “Obviously, his talent speaks for itself, but just his character and leadership, just to have him back in the room and get his voice back, it’s going to be huge for our team.
“Anytime he comes back it’s like he didn’t miss a beat, so we’re very excited to have him back in the lineup.”
The Golden Knights returned home after winning each of the first two games, 4-2 and 3-1, at Ball Arena in Denver, where the Avalanche were previously 5-0 in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Teams that take a 3-0 lead in a best-of-7 semifinal hold an all-time series record of 49-0, including 13-0 when starting on the road.
