The Vegas Golden Knights defenseman received a tribute video from the Blues and a standing ovation from roughly 4,000 fans at Enterprise Center for the Vegas-St. Louis game Monday.
Pietrangelo, who St. Louis chose with the fourth pick of the 2008 NHL Draft, was the 22nd captain in Blues history and the first player to hoist the Stanley Cup in a St. Louis uniform.
"I was just saying to Vladdy (Tarasenko), it was harder before the game because, I think, of the emotions. Once you get in the game, you push that all aside," Pietrangleo said. "Once the video passed and I knew that was coming, which was obviously special. That was a great job. That was important to me with my wife and kids in the stands. Then it was business as usual."
Pietrangelo signed a seven-year, $61.6 million contract with Vegas on Oct. 12. He was supposed to play his first game as an opposing player but was sidelined with an upper-body injury for the Golden Knights' two-game series against the Blues on March 12 and 13.
Pietrangelo was on the bench but waved in appreciation to the Blues fans after St. Louis showed a minute-long video that highlighted his 12-season tenure there.
- NHL.com Independent Correspondent Louie Korac contributed to this report.
