Most gamers do not get heartily booed after they have a good time a significant profession achievement. On Monday evening in Lengthy Island, nonetheless, that was not the case for John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Earlier than a principally hostile crowd that included his dad, Tavares — who performed for the New York Islanders from 2009-2018 — grew to become the 98th participant in NHL historical past to document 1,000 factors (435 targets and 565 assists) with a purpose and help. The Islanders, nonetheless, gained in time beyond regulation 4-3.
Outdoors of Islanders followers, many within the hockey world had been hoping Tavares would accomplish the milestone towards the staff that drafted him first general in 2009.
With Toronto trailing 3-1, Tavares made issues fascinating heading into the third interval when he scored by redirecting a Conor Timmins shot. Because the clock wound down within the third interval, the villain of the evening etched his identify into the historical past books. Tavares gained three key faceoffs, permitting the puck to remain within the Islanders zone.
With the Maple Leafs controlling the play, William Nylander took a shot from the purpose that had eyes, bounding off Tavares and over to Morgan Reilly, who tied the rating with 6.7 seconds left.
The Maple Leafs poured off the bench to have a good time this second with their captain. Though the Islanders group acknowledged his accomplishment on the massive display screen, the house followers booed Tavares. Each time he returns to Lengthy Island, he hears it from the followers, lots of whom bear in mind this tweet after he signed with Toronto in 2018.
Tavares acknowledged to Luke Fox of Sportsnet after the sport that it was a particular second for him, particularly along with his dad within the constructing.
“Yeah, actually particular. Simply every part you undergo, via childhood, adolescence, and clearly, residing a dream enjoying within the NHL, [reaching 1,000] in a spot that I spent 9 years of my life, household and my dad coming down right here to go to, being an enormous a part of that,” Tavares mentioned.
The Islanders bought the final chuckle due to a Bo Horvat time beyond regulation purpose, however the evening nonetheless belonged to Tavares.