Golden Knights to be without captain for Game 4 in Anaheim

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Vegas Golden Knights will need to try and take a commanding series lead over the Anaheim Ducks without their captain.

Mark Stone will not play in Game 4 at the Honda Center on Sunday due to a lower-body injury, coach John Tortorella said at morning skate.

Stone suffered the injury late in the first period of Game 3 on Friday. He tried to return in the second but aggravated it trying to skate during a timeout.

The Knights lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.

Brandon Saad will make his postseason debut at third-line left wing, skating with Tomas Hertl and Keegan Kolesar.

The 33-year-old winger will play his first game since April 11. He didn’t play in the first-round against Utah.

“Playoff hockey is the best time of year,” Saad said. “I’m excited to get in and help the team win.”

Pavel Dorofeyev will take Stone’s spot at first-line right wing.

Mitch Marner will replace Stone below the goal line on the first power-play unit, and Tomas Hertl will return to the top unit in his usual front-net position.

But it’s Reilly Smith who remains out of the lineup despite having played in the first round against Utah before being moved to the bench following William Karlsson’s return to the lineup.

“Both (Saad) and (Smith), either one, it’s not a bad choice,” Tortorella said. “I thought they both have given us good minutes. (Saad) gets the call tonight.”

This will be Saad’s 112th playoff game of his career. He appeared in eight of the Knights’ 11 games last season before missing the final three games of the second-round series against Edmonton due to an injury.

“It’s tough. Staying in shape and all that is easy, but getting in the game is mentally (hard), it’s a different energy, different feeling,” Saad said. “Just getting my legs going, getting on the forecheck.”

But no matter who came into the lineup, it was going to be a tough ask to replace Stone, the Knights’ all-time leader in postseason scoring (79) in 94 playoff games.

“(Stone) is obviously a huge piece of this team,” center Nic Dowd said. “I think he makes a big difference. We have guys that can step up and tow the line.”