Pietrangelo’s play inspires
LAS VEGAS — Alex Pietrangelo spoke of sacrifice Sunday, and what it takes for a hockey player to continue his journey this far into an NHL season.
With the Golden Knights up 1-0 in the Stan- ley Cup Final against the Panthers heading into Monday night’s game that ended too late for this edition, all the play- ers’ personal lives are put on hold for the moment. Summer vacation can wait.
For Pietrangelo, sacrifice is nothing new. In Novem- ber, it was his career that came to a brief halt.
During Thanksgiving, one of his triplets, 5-year- old daughter Evelyn, came down with the flu. It devel- oped into encephalitis, an inflammation of tissues of the brain, and she lost control of her motor skills.
With the full support of the organization, Pietran- gelo paused his career and wasn’t sure what he’d do until he knew his daugh- ter had recovered from the ordeal.
“That was the first time I’ve ever even thought about coming back to play. Like, it wasn’t even a question,” he said. “I wasn’t gonna go back until I was ready to go back. Until I knew she was good, my wife was good, and the other three (kids) were good, I wasn’t gonna go back. So, I went back when I felt like I was ready.”
Pietrangelo credited his wife, Jayne, for being the rock through everything. She continued to hold down the household, and they prayed daily while their daughter recovered.
After a positive reaction to “a course of treatment” that helped eliminate a brain lesion one week later, Evelyn returned home within a month.
Pietrangelo said his daughter is doing better.
“It’ll take a couple years to get back to where we think she should be, but physically, she’s good,” he said.
His return to the lineup inDecemberwascertainly welcome, too. He’s become a cornerstone of the blueliners since the Knights signed him to a seven-year, $61.6 million contract in October 2020.
He finished the regular season fifth on the team with 54 points — 11 goals, 43 assists — and entered Monday’s game currently tied for eighth on the team with nine points in the playoffs with a goal and eight assists.
“Seeing what he’s been through, the way he’s overcome some of those adversities is awesome to see,” Shea Theodore said. “He’s been a backbone and we’re really excited for him.”
And it’s more than stats with Pietrangelo. It’s more about efficiently using his team-leading average of 23:43 ice time. He has become someone coach Bruce Cassidy can count on to defend hard, clear the front of the net or make an effort to block shots on a consistent basis.
Cassidy, who was coach of the Bruins when they lost to Pietrangelo and the Blues in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, is glad they’re on the same team this go-round.
“He’s a high-effort player,” Cassidy said Sunday “He’s certainly got skill and makes his plays. ... I thought he was a little more the offensive-tilted guy, but he’s a full 200-foot guy. Complete player.
“... I thought he was more the dynamic guy making the plays, but I think he does it all at both ends.”