John Tavares calls 1,000th NHL point vs. Islanders 'surreal'
Maple Leafs center John Tavares waits for action to resume during the third period of an NHL game against the Islanders on Monday at UBS Arena. Credit: AP/John Munson
John Tavares admitted the moment was “surreal.”
The Maple Leafs captain was celebrating his 1,000th career point against the Islanders, with whom he spent his first nine NHL seasons after being drafted first overall in 2009.
“You see all your teammates come out and it’s really special,” Tavares said after his assist on the tying goal forced overtime in the Maple Leafs’ 4-3 loss on Monday night at UBS Arena. “For me, it’s the uniqueness of doing it where I played the first nine years of my career and is a big part of who I am.”
“A tremendous accomplishment,” Islanders coach Lane Lambert said. “He gave this organization a lot of good years of hockey.”
Tavares had a second-period goal to bring the Maple Leafs within 3-2, then set up defenseman Morgan Rielly’s tying goal with 6.4 seconds left in regulation as the teams skated six-on-five.
Tavares, 33, notched his first 621 points with the Islanders before signing a seven-year, $77 million deal with his hometown Maple Leafs in 2018.
“It’s been a great ride so far, a great journey,” he said. “Obviously you want to celebrate in a win, but very proud of it. In certain ways, you’re just kind of happy it’s happened. You can move forward and there will be a time and place to soak it in a little more.”
Isles files
Center Bo Horvat extended his point streak to seven games with his overtime winner . . . Defenseman Noah Dobson had a season-high three assists as his point streak reached four games . . . Defenseman Mike Reilly returned to the ice and finished the game after briefly retreating to the Islanders’ dressing room in the third period. He got tangled with Tyler Bertuzzi’s skates and went hard into the end boards at 9:27, seemingly banging his left shoulder . . . Defenseman Grant Hutton was reassigned to AHL Bridgeport.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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