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The Vegas Golden Knights went all out to honor defenseman Alex Pietrangelo for his 1000th NHL game in a fancy pregame ceremony before their matchup against the Minnesota Wild on Monday.
Pietrangelo received a gold stick and was showered with praise from home fans at T-Mobile Arena. The defenseman was joined by his wife, Jayne, two daughters and his son to celebrate his milestone game.
However, despite the celebrations, the Minnesota Wild spoled the night for Alex Pietrangelo, as they beat the Golden Knights 5-3. Pietrangelo said about the loss in his 1000th NHL game:
"I just think we weren't good enough. I don’t think our execution was good enough up and down the lineup.
"You want to win those games, especially when you have a big break. It’s frustrating to sit here for four days now. It’ll help us get prepared for Saturday (against the Carolina Hurricanes).”
The 34-year-old veteran defenseman notched up two assists in his special milestone game. It marked back-to-back defeats for the Golden Knights, having previously lost to the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena.
The Golden Knights are second in the Pacific Division with 68 points, eight points behind leaders Vancouver Canucks. The reigning Stanley Cup champions will look to bounce back when they host the Carolina Hurricanes at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.
How has Alex Pietrangelo fared for the Vegas Golden Knights?
Pietrangelo has been a crucial member of the Golden Knights' first defensive unit alongside Alec Martinez. This season, he has racked up 23 points (two goals and 21 assists) in 47 games, with a plus/minus of +2, and averaged 23.96 minutes of ice time.
Alex Pietrangelo was drafted No. 4 overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2008 draft. He played for 12 seasons with them and also won the Stanley Cup in 2019. Following his stint with the Blues, the 34-year-old defenseman joined the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2020-21 season. Last year, he played a key role in helping the Knights win their only Stanley Cup.
It was the second Cup for the defenseman. Overall, Pietrangelo, in his long 16-year career, has garnered 596 points (142 goals and 454 assists) in 1000 games, with a plus/minus of +117.
