Mark Stone injury: Concussion or jaw/facial fracture speculated by expert after Knights captain's early exit from Game 3

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone left Saturday night’s Game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers following a dangerous collision with Corey Perry.

During the second period of the Golden Knights-Oilers tilt, Stone slid while trying to play the puck. Perry skated past Stone to retrieve the loose puck, with Stone colliding head-first against Perry’s leg.

Here’s a look at the play:

Stone still played three more shifts following the collision but ultimately left the game with a suspected head injury.

Renowned sports physician Dr. Harjas Grewal speculated that Stone could have suffered a concussion or a facial fracture. In either case, the Golden Knights could be without their captain for the remainder of the series.

While a facial fracture could mean that Mark Stone could return to the lineup sooner than expected, a concussion could mean four to five games off the ice. The Golden Knights would have to advance to the next round before getting their captain back.

There is no word on Mark Stone’s condition at the moment. He will likely be evaluated before further information is provided.

Reilly Smith stuns Oilers in Mark Stone’s absence

Reilly Smith scored twice for the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night. But his second goal was the biggest one of all.

Smith scored with 0.3 seconds left on the clock to lift the Golden Knights to a Game 3 victory and cut the Oilers’ series lead in half.

Here’s a look at the stunning buzzer-beater:

The replay showed Smith pick up a loose puck and fire a desperate shot at the Oilers’ net. The puck deflected off Leon Draisaitl’s stick and into the back of the net.

Smith and the Golden Knights did not initially react to the goal as the horn sounded to mark the end of the third period. Following the review, the goal on the ice stood, giving the Knights a 4-3 lead with less than a second to go in the game.

In hindsight, had Leon Draisaitl not deflected the puck, it would have slid through the crease and out of harm’s way. Unfortunately, Draisaitl’s quick reaction to attempt to keep the puck from crossing the line ended up proving costly.

The lucky bounce for Vegas allowed the team to soften the blow of losing their captain in the game. It remains to be seen if the Golden Knights will be forced to play Game 4 without Mark Stone.

With Vegas one win away from tying the series, getting Mark Stone back in the lineup would be a huge boost moving forward.

In the meantime, Reilly Smith picked up the slack, playing the role of hero in Game 3.