Mark Stone is a man of many talents. He can play alongside Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev, score on the power play, and has a great two-way game. It’s no wonder he’s the captain of the Vegas Golden Knights, as he’s an integral part of the team’s success, especially when it comes to his single-season performance.

There are memorable years when he was a standout player, including 2019-20 (42 assists) and 2020-21 (40 assists). But let’s go back to that latter season for a moment. This particular year stands out because he set a franchise record. Such records are essential to a team’s success and help them win playoff rounds and Stanley Cup titles (Toronto, watch out!).

So in which category did Stone set the franchise record? What made his 2020-21 season so special to Golden Knights fans? Sometimes it takes a special leader to win games you shouldn’t win. That’s where the captain comes in, because he specializes in those moments. Here’s the franchise record he broke in the 2020-21 season that set him apart from the competition.

Scoring the game-winning goal is like the knockout punch in a prizefight. You throw your opponent into the air and they can’t get up. As a result, you win the game and move up the division standings, maybe even a prestigious championship. Mark Stone scored many knockout punches during the 2020-21 season to help the Vegas Golden Knights advance to the championship round.

He scored eight game-winning goals this season, a significant portion of his 21 goals. But another player had a larger share of his total: William Carrier scored seven game-winning goals in the 2022-23 season, nearly half of the 16 goals he scored, tying him for second place with Jack Eichel, who scored seven goals in the 2023-24 season.

This is followed by a tie for fourth place between several different players, with some players scoring six points each:

These players have done a great job of delivering knockout blows to hapless NHL teams. It’s like having 12 Muhammad Alis on the ice (if Ali was a great hockey player. Look out, Wayne Gretzky), and the team is crushing its opponents in style. But for Mark Stone, it’s business as usual as he leads the team into another crucial season in contention for the Stanley Cup.