"I was nervous" - Mark Stone admits having uncertain road to recovery after suffering lacerated spleen injury

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone opened up on feeling nervous heading into Game 1 of the first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars.

Stone's apprehension stemmed from the uncertainty surrounding his recovery from a lacerated spleen injury he suffered in a Feb. 20 game against the Nashville Predators.

The injury sidelined him for the final 26 games of the regular season.

"I was nervous [before Game 1]," Stone admitted to Golden Knights’ broadcaster Dan D’Uva.

"This injury is very different from anything I ever had before and there was no clear timeline. I just had to continue to keep scanning, which is not always the funniest thing to do either. But I went through a lot of stuff to expedite the process of healing and I was able to do so."

Despite the nerves and extended absence, Stone made an immediate impact upon his return. Just 1:23 into the first period, he scored on the power play, setting the tone for the Golden Knights in their 4-3 victory.

Stone acknowledged that playoff jitters are natural, even for a veteran like himself.

"I was nervous. I think I would probably be a little nervous, even if I played all 82 games," he said after the Game 1 to NHL.com. "It's the playoffs. This is what we play for."

Now leading the series 1-0, Stone and the Golden Knights look to take a commanding 2-0 lead in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Currently, in the third period of Game 2, Vegas leads Dallas 2-1.

Elliotte Friedman opines on the Golden Knights' usage of LTIR cap space after Mark Stone's injury

Hockey insider Elliotte Friedman recently weighed in on the Vegas Golden Knights' controversial use of long-term injured reserve (LTIR) cap space ahead of the playoffs.

On The Pat McAfee Show, Friedman acknowledged that other teams like Chicago and Tampa Bay have previously benefited from the LTIR loophole. However, he believes Vegas has "perfected" the strategy this season with captain Mark Stone's injury.

"The Golden Knights have perfected it and I think that's what got other people upset," Friedman said.

By placing Mark Stone and his $9 million cap hit on LTIR in late February, Vegas freed up space to acquire major additions like Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl before the trade deadline. Despite being on LTIR with a lacerated spleen, Mark Stone was back in the lineup for Game 1 against Dallas.

The quick turnaround fueled accusations of cap circumvention, even if Vegas didn't technically break any rules.

"We are gonna find out if everybody really wants to stop this and then we'll get our answer," Friedman added.

Friedman expects the LTIR issue to be a big topic in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations in two years.