What Alex Pietrangelo had to say about returning to St. Louis

Alex Pietrangelo is one of the rare Golden Knights players who knows what the visiting locker room looks like at his former home arena.

“In training camp, they used to shove me over there every once in a while,” he said Monday in St. Louis.

Pietrangelo made his first trip to Enterprise Center in St. Louis since he signed a seven-year, $61.6 million contract with the Knights during free agency in October. The defenseman was injured and did not travel with the team when the Knights swept the Blues in back-to-back games March 12 and 13.

Pietrangelo was honored with a tribute video during the first period and notched an assist in a 6-1 victory over the Blues.

With strict protocols in place on the road, the former Blues captain is unable to visit with his in-laws — his wife is from St. Louis — and has limited contact with former teammates from his 12 seasons with the Blues.

“I think the emotions, once you get in the game you start playing,” Pietrangelo said. “You kind of push all that aside. Once that video passed and I knew it was coming, which is obviously special, they did a great job. That was obviously important for me with my wife and my kids in the stands.”

Pietrangelo played one game against St. Louis on Jan. 26 and recorded an assist in a 5-4 shootout loss, then entered NHL COVID protocol two days later.

He suffered an injury to his left hand/lower arm from a blocked shot in the final minutes of a victory at San Jose on March 6 and missed 12 games. In addition to the series last month in St. Louis, Pietrangelo was out for the March 22 matchup at T-Mobile Arena.

“It’s nice that he’s already had one game against his old team, so he’s got that behind him,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “This is for sure a special and different experience.”

DeBoer noted previously that Pietrangelo was unable to do any stickhandling until a couple of days before he was activated March 31.

In four games, Pietrangelo averaged a team-high 25:42 of ice time and led the Knights with 16 shots on goal.

“After the first game, I felt like my legs are where they wanted to be the last two games,” Pietrangelo said. “Puckwise, I felt like I was doing what I wanted to do with it. That part’s been good.”

Stephenson almost back

Center Chandler Stephenson served the final game of his suspension for elbowing Monday and is expected to return to the lineup Wednesday against the Blues.

The Knights struggled to finish chances while taking one of four points from Minnesota, and the top line was held without a point in each game while Stephenson was out.

Stephenson has seven goals and 20 points in 32 games. He is two assists shy of matching his season high.

“That back-you-off type speed that he brings, both to that line and our team, is something that you don’t take for granted,” DeBoer said. “But when he’s not in there it’s noticeable. He’s been having a great season for us both ends of the rink. He’s a valuable piece. What you learn is you appreciate him a little more when he’s out.”

Injury update

Defenseman Zach Whitecloud remains out with an upper-body injury and did not make the trip to St. Louis, according to DeBoer. He has missed the past three games.

Forward Ryan Reaves returned to the lineup after missing three games with a lower body injury.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.