LAS VEGAS (AP) — There were all sorts of signs this wasn't a typical January NHL game.
Mitch Marner was featured prominently in the Golden Knights' pregame video, and when his picture was shown on the large video boards as Vegas' starting lineup was announced Thursday night, the large contingent of Toronto Maple Leafs fans booed someone who used to be one of their own.
And booed loudly.
They let Marner hear it all night, though he and Vegas got the final
say in a 6-5 overtime victory over Toronto. Marner had two assists in one of the wildest games of the season.
“We found a way to win an important game for a lot of guys in the room, especially Mitch,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Let's call it what it is. It's his former team. A lot of people have been there. When that happens, you want to play well. I think the guys understood that.”
Jack Eichel certainly did.
He gets berated every time he returns to Buffalo and has especially been motivated playing the Sabres. Eichel has four goals and an assist in three games at Buffalo.
He put the capper on a four-point performance against Toronto by scoring the winning goal at 2:44 of overtime. Eichel looked over at Marner after hitting the back of the net and the two embraced.
“They knew it was a special one for me tonight,” Marner said of his teammates. “They knew it meant a little more than a usual hockey game.”
Though the many Maple Leafs fans made it clear who enemy No. 1 was in their eyes, the reception that Marner received probably is nothing compared to what's in store for when the Golden Knights play at Toronto on Friday.
“Now I think I know kind of going in,” Marner said of what he expects. “They got a passionate fan base. They got a lot of love for their team. So got a lot of games in between now and then, and just going to focus on the next one.”
Marner grew up in the Toronto area as a Maple Leafs fan and was drafted fourth overall in 2015. He had spent his career in a Maple Leafs sweater, but despite becoming one of the league's top forwards — Marner had 102 points last season — one of the NHL's most rabid fanbases often focused their frustrations over the club's playoff shortcomings on him.
The Maple Leafs have made the postseason each year since 2017, but have yet to advance out of the second round over that time.
Vegas has had considerably more playoff success, twice making the Stanley Cup Final since its first season in 2017-18 and winning it all three years ago.
The Golden Knights are among the most aggressive teams when it comes to pursuing talented players, and they set their sights on Marner, who was more than ready to leave the Maple Leafs. He told TSN in August that one reason he wanted out was because of concerns for his family's safety.
Vegas acquired Marner on July 1 through a sign-and-trade in which he signed an eight-year, $96 million contract.
Moving from wing to center this season, largely because of an injury to William Karlsson, this has been a season of transition in many ways for Marner. He is second on the team with 49 points (11 goals, 38 assists), not far behind Eichel's 55 points (17 goals, 38 assists).
The Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights are on a six-game winning streak, but their streak was in dire jeopardy against the Maple Leafs.
Vegas rallied four times from two-goal deficits, had what appeared to be the tying goal with 4:10 left overturned on review for an offside challenge, forced overtime on Tomas Hertl's goal with 7 seconds left and then won on Eichel's OT goal.
Cassidy was asked what word would he use to describe this team. Resilient was his answer.
“As the stakes go up, they get more competitive,” Cassidy said. “I went to a French school until I was 11, so I missed a few words along the way. Pick your word there, your adjective or verb. They don't like losing. You're going to lose some games, and tonight it looked like it was going that direction for us, but we kept pushing back.”
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