Golden Knights’ Pietrangelo offers new that means to sacrifice, on and off the ice

LAS VEGAS — Alex Pietrangelo spoke of sacrifice Sunday, and what it takes for a hockey participant to proceed his journey this far into an NHL season.

With the Vegas Golden Knights up 1-0 within the Stanley Cup Final in opposition to the Florida Panthers, all of the gamers’ private lives are placed on maintain for the second. Summer trip can wait.

For Pietrangelo, sacrifice is nothing new. In November, it was his profession that got here to a quick halt.

During Thanksgiving, considered one of his triplets, 5-year-old daughter Evelyn, got here down with the flu. It developed into encephalitis, an irritation of tissues of the mind, and he or she misplaced management of her motor abilities.

“And basically slept for 10 straight days,” Pietrangelo stated. “Life can change like that. Sometimes you take things for granted and sometimes things like that happen and it kind of puts you back on your rear end and says, ‘Be grateful for what you have.’”

With the total help of the group, Pietrangelo paused his profession and wasn’t certain what he’d do till he knew his daughter 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 stated. “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 spouse, Jayne, for being the rock by all the pieces. She continued to carry down the family, and so they prayed day by day whereas their daughter recovered.

After a constructive response to “a course of treatment” that helped get rid of a mind lesion one week later, Evelyn returned house inside a month.

Pietrangelo stated his daughter is doing higher.

“It’ll take a couple years to get back to where we think she should be, but physically, she’s good,” he stated.

His return to the lineup in December was definitely welcome, too. He’s turn out to be a cornerstone of the blueliners for the reason that Golden Knights signed him to a seven-year, $61.6 million contract in October 2020.

He completed the common season fifth on the crew with 54 factors – 11 objectives, 43 assists – and is presently tied for eighth on the crew with 9 factors within the playoffs with a objective and eight assists.

“Seeing what he’s been through, the way he’s overcome some of those adversities is awesome to see,” Shea Theodore stated. “He’s been a backbone and we’re really excited for him. The way he’s been playing has been good and hopefully him and everyone can kind of keep it up.”

And it’s greater than stats with Pietrangelo. It’s extra about effectively utilizing his team-leading common of 23:43 ice time. He has turn out to be somebody coach Bruce Cassidy can rely on to defend laborious, clear the entrance of the web or make an effort to dam pictures on a constant foundation.

Cassidy, who was coach of the Boston Bruins once they misplaced to Pietrangelo and the Blues within the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, is glad they’re on the identical crew this go-round.

“He’s a high-effort player,” Cassidy stated Sunday. “He’s definitely acquired ability and makes his performs. … I assumed he was a bit extra the offensive-tilted man, however he’s a full 200-foot man: penalty kill, he’s one of many first guys over the boards, tends to clear the puck exceptionally nicely. Complete participant. Harder participant, I suppose, than perhaps I might have suspected watching him.

“I thought he was more the dynamic guy making the plays, but I think he does it all at both ends.”

Now vying for his second Stanley Cup ring in 5 years, Pietrangelo is once more lending credit score and recognizing Jayne because the underlying energy for his household, because the mom of their youngsters and because the spouse of an NHL participant.

“I think my wife has had to sacrifice her time and energy more than I have – she gets it,” he stated. “She’s been down this highway, so with out her, I wouldn’t have the ability to do what I do now and throughout the season. It’s particular.