Ottawa Senators fans remember Mark Stone not just for his 366 games with the team, but also for being a great person. Now playing for the Vegas Golden Knights, Stone has always been known for playing fairly, staying out of trouble, and mentoring young players like Brady Tkachuk.
So, it was surprising to see Stone’s name trending on social media on Wednesday with people calling him “dirty.”
During a game between the Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night, Miro Heiskanen had to be helped off the ice after Stone accidentally collided with his knee while rushing up the ice. Fans reacted strongly to the incident online.
However, it wasn’t a dirty play, and there’s a simple explanation for what happened. Stone was tripped.
As Stone was trying to reach for the puck, Stars forward Roope Hintz attempted to block Stone’s path. Hintz’s skate blade made contact with Stone’s skate, causing him to lose his balance as he tried to make a move.
A better angle of the incident shows that Stone’s head was dangerously close to the collision, which no player would intentionally do.
It’s worth noting that Stone has only received six penalty minutes this season.
“I really hope (Heiskanen) is all right,” Stone said after the game. “But yeah, I was just trying to make a play and got tripped into him. I hope the outcome is good, but I think there was really no intent there.
“Obviously, I was just trying to make a play on the puck, and their guy (Hintz) kind of tripped me into him headfirst. I’d never dive headfirst into a guy.”
The incident, injury, and the resulting argument only add to the rivalry between the Golden Knights and the Stars, which has grown over the past five years with three playoff meetings, including two Western Conference Finals.
For Dallas fans, the idea of this being a “dirty” play is frustrating, especially since it injured their top defenseman. However, it was just an accident.
For a reminder of what a truly “dirty” play looks like in hockey, Stars captain Jamie Benn set the standard when he cross-checked Stone in the face with his full body weight in May 2023.
