Multiple injuries hit Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights ahead of game 4

Stone suffered a non-contact injury and tried to test it briefly during the intermission. He skated one lap, slammed his stick in frustration, and headed straight down the tunnel.

Brandon Saad will draw into the active roster tonight to help fill the massive offensive void. Replacing the captain is a tall order, considering his elite defensive awareness and crisp passing constantly drive the top line.

Vegas owns a dominant 239-118-43 record with Stone in the lineup since he arrived in 2019. When he sits, their offensive output drops drastically and they struggle with controlled entries through the neutral zone.

The Anaheim Ducks are dealing with a brutal medical ward of their own across the ice. Young defenseman Drew Helleson is officially sidelined for this critical clash with an undisclosed issue.

Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville confirmed Helleson remains day-to-day. Adding to the misery, veteran bruiser Radko Gudas is a strict game-time decision while nursing a painful lower-body injury.

Missing Gudas would completely ruin the physical push for Anaheim. He logs heavy defensive minutes and clears the crease effectively against a very aggressive Vegas forecheck.

Both locker rooms are facing massive adversity just hours before the opening faceoff. Surviving this war of attrition will require unexpected heroes stepping up under immense playoff pressure.

Special teams will likely dictate the final outcome. The Golden Knights boasted a dangerous 24.6 percent power play conversion rate this season, but missing their primary net-front weapon leaves the first unit heavily exposed.