UNIONDALE, N.Y. — It had been 242 days since John Tavares signed a seven-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. It had been 242 days since he left New York and Islanders fans behind. They did not welcome him back with open arms. "I expected it was coming," Tavares said. "No one has walked in my shoes so I know that and I tried to be open and honest. Obviously, no one has to like my decision but I just tried to explain what it is and how I got to that point. So, it is what it is. I made my decision. I moved forward so just going to try and go out there and play. " The atmosphere inside the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum was intense. Chants resonated throughout the Old Barn from the moment Tavares hit the ice for warmups as fans expressed their dismay with Tavares' decision to leave. "I thought the energy was spectacular in warmup, at the start of the game," Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. "The whole thing. You must be a real special player, a real special person for them to honor you like that because they only boo if you're important." DEADLINE WINNERS & LOSERS Blue Jackets, Golden Knights go big; Flames go home empty-handed The booing continued during a video tribute in the first period that was shown on the Jumbotron, completely drowning out the audio. To his credit, Tavares watched the entire presentation along with both benches and acknowledged the crowd after. "They’re obviously a passionate fan base," noted Zach Hyman, who scored the Leafs' lone goal in a lopsided 6-1 loss. "Would rather play in a game like that than a game that’s quiet. It’s good for us, it’s a good learning experience. This is what playoff hockey is like, it’s loud, fans are in your face, it’s passionate, it’s exciting. We were embarrassed tonight but we’ll learn from it." Every Maple Leaf who spoke postgame, including Babcock, said the team wanted to win the game for Tavares. Unfortunately, the team was on the second night of a back-to-back and came up short as turnovers and poor puck management in the neutral zone plagued it. "We really wanted it for John," said Justin Holl, who suited up for only the third time this season. "He’s a huge part of our team and a great guy, so this was one that we really wanted. It’s disappointing but at the same time it’s one game in a season of 82, so it’s just time to bounce back." Sporting News provided updates from John Tavares' first game back on Long Island. Maple Leafs vs. Islanders: Score, highlights (All times Eastern) 9:50 p.m. — During Tavares' postgame presser, a fan can be heard yelling into the tunnel, "John, you suck!" 9:39 p.m. — Robin Lehner, Brock Nelson and Casey Cizikas earn stars of the night. Lehner throws a puck and his stick into the crowd. Fans chant "MVP" during Cizikas' postgame interview. Final: Islanders 6, Maple Leafs 1 9:34 p.m. — Fans chanting, "Let's go Islanders." 9:32 p.m. — Fans chanting, "Na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, hey hey hey, goodbye." 9:30 p.m. — The fans' creativity on the Island knows no bounds. Ruthless Islanders fans chant “It’s your bedtime” and “Where’s your jammies?” during the third period of Tavares' return to Long Island pic.twitter.com/GWqYdf66Il — Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) March 1, 2019 9:21 p.m. — Fans came dressed. 9:15 p.m. — Fans possibly chanting, "Who's your daddy?" 9:14 p.m. — GOAL. Jordan Eberle with time behind the net feeds a crashing Brock Nelson, who buries it. Fair to say, the Islanders are showing John Tavares they definitely don't need him. A quick reminder, though: The Leafs are on a back-to-back and down two defensemen. Islanders lead 6-1. 9:13 p.m. — Fans are cheering, this game is pretty much over. 9:02 p.m. — GOAL. The Islanders extend their lead as Nick Leddy scores. Islanders lead 5-1. End of second period: Islanders 4, Maple Leafs 1 8:41 p.m. — Johnny Boychuk pinches Mitchell Marner skating down the boards and Marner's skate comes up and clips Boychuk. The defenseman immediately grabs his neck and skates off. 8:40 p.m. — GOAL. Scramble in front and Valtteri Filppula sends the puck over Sparks. Competing "We don't need you" erupt. Islanders lead 4-1. 8:32 p.m. — Coliseum erupts; not for a goal, but for The Karate Kid himself, Ralph Macchio. May have been the biggest roar of the night. 8:30 p.m. — Fans chanting, "We don't need you." 8:29 p.m. — GOAL. Casey Cizikas, short-handed, steals the puck from Tyler Ennis above the circle on the boards, skates down and beats Sparks five-hole. Islanders lead 3-1. 8:27 p.m. — Leafs back on the power play. 8:21 p.m. — At the whistle, pushing and shoving. Justin Holl with the facewash on Cal Clutterbuck, who throws a punch and rips Holl's helmet off. No penalties. Chippiness level elevated. 8:17 p.m. — Goal is waved off. Wes McCauley (of course) with the dramatic pause before saying "offside" and the crowd erupts. 8:17 p.m. — Hold on, the goal is being reviewed. Looks like Hyman may have been offside. Islanders lead 2-1. 8:15 p.m. — GOAL. Mitchell Marner skates across the ice in the offensive zone, drawing both defensemen to him and leaving Zach Hyman all alone for the easy goal. Hyman's second of the night. Game tied 2-2. 8:14 p.m. — Tavares almost scores off his leg as Scott Mayfield cross-checks him 8:10 p.m. — "Let's Go Islanders" chants erupt. 8:09 p.m. — GOAL. Brock Nelson feeds the captain Anders Lee who scores easily past a diving Garret Sparks. The Old Barn erupts. Islanders lead 2-1. The @NYIslanders captain gives the home team the lead after a sweet dish from Brock Nelson!!! #Isles pic.twitter.com/aCzrtUcWuF — MSG Networks (@MSGNetworks) March 1, 2019 8:07 p.m. — Tavares behind the goal line takes a couple of cross-checks from ex-teammate Mat Barzal. 8:02 p.m. — The answer is "No". Tavares lines up for faceoff deep in own end to boos.<doc-sep>The Islanders still competed hard, still played with emotion on the night after John Tavares’ return. But they couldn’t hold a third-period lead, and the Washington Capitals earned a 3-1 victory before a sellout crowd of 13,917 at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum to pull even with the Islanders at 81 points atop the Metropolitan Division. “We’ve got to finish games out,” defenseman Scott Mayfield said. “We started off pretty well. We were physical, getting in on them. But we’ve got to finish those games out. We let two points slip away. We’ve got to have a better third.” The Islanders (37-20-7) have a game in hand on the Capitals (37-21-7) and thus maintain first place in the division. The teams will finish the regular season at Washington on April 6 in a game that could decide the division title. Subscribe to Newsday’s sports newsletter Receive stories, photos and videos about your favorite New York teams plus national sports news and events. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. Thursday night’s 6-1 win over the Maple Leafs and Tavares was instantly memorable for its emotionally charged atmosphere. That capacity crowd screamed itself hoarse to express its extreme displeasure with the former captain’s decision to leave via free agency and return home to Toronto. But Friday night’s game didn’t go as well for the Islanders or their fans. “I don’t think there was a letdown,” Anders Lee said after the Islanders fell to 9-1-1 in the second game of back-to-back sets. “I thought we played a pretty solid game. The third wasn’t great. We were all jacked up and ready to go and we knew how important this game was and where we both stand in the Metro.” Thomas Greiss, making his first start in five games, stopped 26 shots for the Islanders. Braden Holtby made 20 saves for the Capitals, who have won three straight and five of six. The Capitals tied the score at 1-1 at 3:26 of the third period as Jakub Vrana connected from low in the slot. Alex Ovechkin then swatted a puck out of the air near the crease that went in off Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk’s raised stick for a power-play goal and a 2-1 Washington lead at 4:34. Lee had been called for interference against Nicklas Backstrom off a defensive-zone faceoff at 4:21. T.J. Oshie was credited with an empty-net goal at 18:32 on a puck knocked in by the Islanders’ Josh Bailey. “My penalty and the power- play goal by them changed things around,” said Lee, who declined to comment when asked if he thought Backstrom went down too easily. “Then we were chasing and they’re good at playing defense.” The Islanders took a 1-0 lead at 2:43 of the first period. Tom Kuhnhackl — playing on the third line as Andrew Ladd was a healthy scratch after coming off long-term injured reserve on Tuesday — intercepted an outlet pass in the neutral zone and glided in alone to lift a backhander past Holtby. Linemate Leo Komarov appeared to be offside as he came to tag up at the blue line, and even Kuhnhackl thought the play would be waved off. But the Capitals rightfully didn’t challenge because Kuhnhackl did not touch the puck inside the offensive zone until Komarov did tag up, which made the play legal. It was Kuhnhackl’s fourth goal and first in 20 games. The Islanders nearly had a second breakaway goal in the first period, but Mathew Barzal’s chance ricocheted off the post at 12:20. Brock Nelson also hit the far post on his own rebound from the right at 16:53 of the third period. Fourth-line left wing Matt Martin missed the game with an upper-body injury as Ross Johnston dressed for the first time since Jan. 12.<doc-sep>UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 02: The New York Islanders celebrate a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on February 02, 2019 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) The New York Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs by six goals to one. Making it clear that the Islanders don’t need Tavares. What do you take away from the game? The New York Islanders had a nearly perfect game by beating the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs by a score of 6-1 in John Tavares’ return. It was the best way to welcome back their former captain. You couldn’t script a better game from the Islanders perspective. They absolutely dominated the anointed Stanley Cup champions back in September. Kept John Tavares off the scoresheet. And passed their points total from last season. So what can we take away from the game aside from the fact that the Isles are one of the best in the league? We Actually Don’t Need Him Throughout the game, fans chanted that they didn’t need John Tavares, and they proved it tonight. Six times they were able to put the puck in the net. From six different goal scorers. The depth scoring on this team hasn’t always been on display, but it sure was tonight. The Islanders showed how a team can come together where they don’t need to fit around a single star. As a team, they can do anything. Casey Cizikas Is A Beast He should have had two goals tonight. But his second was awarded to Nick Leddy. That’s Cizikas’ 18th goal of the year. Over the last three seasons, he’s scored 23 goals. He’s five goals off. And at the pace he’s going, he’s going to better that. The way Cizikas scored his only goal, was remarkable. He single-handedly kept the Leafs in their own zone, caused a turnover, and then buried a short-handed goal. Beautiful. Scoring By Committee The Islanders scored goals from all four lines and from the defense. When they’re on their game they can get production from anywhere in the lineup. That’s something we haven’t seen from the Isles all year. And it’s a welcomed sign as they head to the playoffs.<doc-sep>UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Kiernan Hanrahan was wearing a New York Islanders jersey to a New York Islanders home game, and yet it felt like he was walking into enemy territory. "We were a little concerned coming in," he admitted, standing in the concourse at Nassau Coliseum. That's because Hanrahan was the rare Islanders fan -- heck, maybe even the only one -- who dared to wear his John Tavares jersey without any desecration or defacement to Thursday night's game, Tavares' first on Long Island as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. No overwriting the nameplate to spell "TRAITOR" or any of the other creative editing thousands of bitter Islanders fans had done that night. Hanrahan wore his No. 91 John Tavares jersey with the captain's "C" on it, and wore it proudly. "We're here to support him. He's a huge fan," he said, motioning to his young son, Doran, who was even more valorous in wearing a Tavares Maple Leafs jersey to the game. Tavares left the Islanders for the Maple Leafs last summer, an Ontario native headed back home on a seven-year contract. "It was rough to see him go," Hanrahan said. "But my sons play travel hockey. I imagine if it was my son, from Long Island ... his dream would be to play for the Islanders. You want to go home. You can't argue with that." Well, you apparently can argue with that if you're the vast majority of Islanders fans who savaged Tavares before, during and after the game. There weren't many moments worthy of celebration for John Tavares in his return to Long Island. AP Photo/Kathy Willens The fans who took it personally when Tavares professed a dedication to the Islanders and a desire to re-sign with them, only to change his mind for the chance to play for his favorite team from childhood -- tweeting, infamously, a photo from his youth in which he slept under Maple Leafs bed sheets. The fans who have, through the decades, felt the indignity of having their team dismissed as second-rate or disparaged as a feckless franchise 36 years removed from their last bout of relevance, and thus, the fans who saw Tavares deciding that the Maple Leafs provided him with a better chance to win as another example of that indignity, manifesting in feelings of betrayal and abandonment. Hence, Thursday night's 6-1 rout of the Maple Leafs was like a carnival of catharsis for fans who share a complex bond of inferiority. Tavares was the catalyst for that emotional release, and it was absolutely savage. The first trolling of Tavares was in the location of the game itself. He had always had an affinity for the Coliseum, where he played in his formative NHL years before the Islanders moved to Brooklyn. This game was originally scheduled for Barclays Center but was shifted to Nassau. Before the game, the parking lot of the old barn was filled with fans expressing their displeasure with Tavares. Jerseys had nameplates made of electrical tape that read "LIAR" and "JUDAS" and "PAJAMA BOY," a reference to that childhood bed photo. (In reality, Tavares was never photographed in Maple Leafs pajamas. But no one actually said "Play it again, Sam" in "Casablanca," either.) There were signs and towels calling him a traitor. There were rubber snakes, which have become a symbol of his alleged treachery. There were Tavares jerseys laid in the road in the parking lot so cars could run them over; if a car managed to miss it, a fan would politely stop the vehicle, ask it to back up and try again. Some Islanders fans turned their Tavares gear into ash, burning jerseys and shirts in fires inside of small metal drums. Inside the arena, Tavares was taunted like few players in NHL history could claim to have been taunted by their former fans. It started even before the players were warming up, with fans chanting "We don't need you" -- the Islanders, post-Tavares, are in first place in the Metropolitan Division. When he came out with the Leafs to warm up, he was booed loudly and showered with a chant of an anatomical nature. (They also crossed the line in tossing a rubber snake and a jersey at Tavares.) "Warm-ups were great. It was a fun atmosphere, and we thought it was hilarious," said Toronto defenseman Justin Holl, who got a smile out of Tavares as the fans taunted him. "I was joking with him. I said, 'At least they forgot [about you].'" ESPN On Ice Greg Wyshynski and Emily Kaplan bring in ESPN NHL draft and prospects analyst Chris Peters for the trade deadline wrap-up show. The three discuss all of the deals that were completed, including Vegas' acquisition of RW Mark Stone (13:02). Plus, Wayne Simmonds is heading to Nashville (24:56). Listen » They hadn't forgotten about him, and neither had the Islanders. At the 10-minute mark of the first period, the team played a 60-second video tribute to Tavares on the Jumbotron. It was drowned out by 60 seconds of fan jeers and mocking chants, which reached a crescendo when a card that read "Thank you, John" appeared on the screen. Despite the reaction, Tavares skated away from his bench and applauded the fans. "They always made it tough on the opponents. When I played here, they always made it tough on people coming in. So the tribute was nice from the organization. And I gave a token of my appreciation for my nine years here, for everyone that supported me," he said. As the score increased, so did the vitriol and creativity of the Islanders fans' mockery. Here's a chronological look at their anti-Tavares chants that night: "We don't need you." "A--h---" "JT sucks." "You're a liar." "That's our captain." (Which was chanted after Anders Lee, current Islanders captain, scored their second goal, the eventual winner.) "Barzy's better." (A reference to Islanders star Mathew Barzal, now the face of the franchise.) "You can't beat us." "Who's your daddy?" "It's your bedtime." (A reference to that childhood photo of Tavares under Leafs bedsheets.) "Where's your jammies?" (See above.)<doc-sep>
Not even the angriest among the sellout crowd of jilted fans on Thursday night at NYCB Lives Nassau Coliseum likely could have imagined it going so well for their Islanders. Ex-captain John Tavares made his first return to his former home rink after bolting via free agency for a seven-year, $77 million deal with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. The miserable homecoming had less to do with booing and often-profane chants and all to do with how well the Islanders played. Helped by a three-goal second period, the Islanders thrashed the Maple Leafs, 6-1, before a deafening roar from 13,917. I think we kind of expected a little bit of that, center Mathew Barzal said of the charged, playoff-like atmosphere. I didnt think it was going to be like that. It was something Ive never played in before. It was one of the coolest moments of my life, said goalie Robin Lehner, who made 34 saves. Im going to remember this for a long time. I go out in warmups and I always listen to music and try and get into the game. But I couldnt hear it. It was so loud during warmups. It was a crucial win for the Metropolitan Division-leading Islanders (37-19-7). They moved two points ahead of the second-place Capitals who will visit on Friday night after opening this five-game homestand with a 3-1 loss to the Flames on Tuesday night. Subscribe to Newsday’s sports newsletter Receive stories, photos and videos about your favorite New York teams plus national sports news and events. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. It marked the Islanders second dominant performance against the Maple Leafs after a 4-0 win at Toronto on Dec. 29. The teams will play in the Islanders home finale on April 1. The atmosphere was definitely up there, said Casey Cizikas, whose goal gave him a career-high 18. Thats what you strive for in the playoffs. You want home-ice advantage because you want atmospheres like that on your side. Garret Sparks made 31 saves for the Maple Leafs (39-21-4), who beat the visiting Oilers, 6-2, on Wednesday night. The fans showed their spirited displeasure in many ways. Some plastic snakes were hurled onto the ice during warmups, and there was loud booing every time Tavares touched the puck. The Maple Leafs arrival on the ice was preceded by We Dont Need You chants fans held signs saying the same as well as less-wholesome screaming. As Tavares left the ice after warmups, an Islanders jersey was thrown at him. Some fans wore Islanders No. 91 jerseys with Tavares nameplate replaced by, among others, Traitor and Pajama Boy. Outside, some Tavares jerseys were burned in garbage bins. Another fan ran over a Tavares jersey with an SUV. I did expect it was coming, said Tavares, who had five shots on goal in 17 minutes of ice time. No one has walked in my shoes. I know that. I tried to be open and honest. Obviously, no one has to like it. Not even a classy tribute at 9:59 of the first period, which was drowned out by booing and cursed chants, mollified the crowd. Tavares skated a lap after the 90-second video highlighting his nine seasons with the Islanders, including his community work, and raised his stick in appreciation to the crowd as players from both teams tapped their sticks in respect. That only brought a JT Sucks chant, followed by Youre a Liar. They could have maybe given him a round of applause, Cal Clutterbuck said. He put everything he had into winning here. But I understand both sides. The Islanders led 4-1 through two periods after a potential Maple Leafs equalizer was overturned on an offside challenge. Anders Lee made it 2-1 off the rush at 4:49, and after Zach Hymans potential goal was waved off at 7:12, Cizikas shorthanded goal made it 3-1 at 13:40. That brought the loudest We Dont Need You chant. Valtteri Filppula pushed it to 4-1 at 19:00 and Nick Leddys slap shot made it 5-1 just 33 seconds into the third period (Cizikas originally got credit for the goal). Nelson scored at 8:41 and the crowd chanted Whos Your Daddy? Tavares was on the ice for both first-period goals as Hyman made it 1-0 at 13:33 and Anthony Beauvillier tied it at 16:16 off a three-on-one rush.