Golden Knights give Mitch Marner a win in his return to Toronto

TORONTO — Mitch Marner went into Friday thinking it was just going to be another game.

The relief that spread across his face when the final buzzer sounded was probably the most relaxed Marner has ever been in Toronto.

His Vegas Golden Knights teammates did their part, and then some, to give their star teammate a 6-3 win at Scotiabank Arena in his first game back in Toronto since he joined the Knights over the summer.

The expectation was a hostile environment. Toronto fans took to social media and comment boards since July to voice every ounce of displeasure toward their former hometown hero that left the franchise that selected him fourth overall in 2015.

Marner finished with one shot in 17:25 and played a factor in the Knights’ third goal.

“It was a little odd at first, to be honest, walking on the other side,” Marner said. “They’re a passionate fan base and they love their team.”

Fans were upset Friday. Some were mad. Some fans pregamed in the concourse of the arena, hyping each other up to be as loud as they could when Marner skated.

The atmosphere was subdued. They were loud, but not the same loud as when Jack Eichel returned to Buffalo three years prior. Nor was it close to when New York Islanders fans drowned former captain John Tavares with chants and boos after he signed with Toronto in 2018.

What helped was the Knights steamrolling to a two-goal lead in the first 4½ minutes, then a three-goal lead in the second.

Knights captain Mark Stone had two goals in the third period and added an assist to extend his franchise-record point streak to 14 games. Eichel extended his streak to 11 games with a goal, and Braeden Bowman and Pavel Dorofeyev also found the back of the net.

“We’ve been through it a few times with returns,” Stone said. “If you ask me, we’re kind of used to it. We knew what to expect, whether it was going to be good or bad.”

Adin Hill made 18 saves for the Knights (25-13-12), who avenged the back-to-back after losing 4-3 in Boston on Thursday night.

Boos were loud and clear

Marner was booed by anyone wearing blue with working eyes. It was noticeable. There were Knights fans in attendance. Some of them wore gold No. 93 sweaters.

Marner was the last player to take the ice for warmups. Before he did, Keegan Kolesar was seen snatching something out of a fan’s hand by the Knights’ tunnel. It was a No. 16 sweater — Marner’s old number in Toronto — with ‘SELLOUT’ on the nameplate.

It was expected to be that kind of environment for the former Maple Leafs star, who left his hometown team this summer to join the Knights on an eight-year, $96 million contract on a sign-and-trade.

Marner was named an alternate captain for the game and started. He didn’t even need to touch the puck to be booed. All his line needed to do was touch the ice and the boos rang down. They got louder each time he had possession. When he left the ice, they cheered.

It was that way for the entire night.

Marner got a minutelong tribute video at the first TV timeout and the boos continued. Midway through, though, fans started to stand and give Marner a standing ovation.

“The fans were great,” Stone said. “They gave him a great ovation I firmly believed he deserved.”

There was a weird mixture of boos and cheers when Marner took a mini lap near the Knights bench to thank the Toronto fans for their support.

“I was trying to take it in and not get emotional. I was trying to remember we were in a hockey game,” Marner said. “I tried to give my love back.”

Getting it done for Marner

But it was clear from opening puck drop that the Knights wanted to play for Marner. That they wanted to do everything right by him, knowing nerves and excitement were kicking in.

It only took a minute when Jack Eichel scored on a rebound at 1:06 to open the scoring. Kolesar pushed it to 2-0 at 4:31.

After consecutive games of poor starts, starting with Monday night’s lackluster performance at home against Philadelphia, the Knights were on the right side of it this time.

“We all know it was an important game for Mitch,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I think our guys wanted to bring their best for Mitch, and they did.”

Tavares cut the lead to 2-1 13 seconds into the second period, but Dorofeyev and Bowman scored 1:44 apart to give the Knights a 4-1 lead.

Toronto answered with two more goals from Scott Laughton and Bobby McMann, but couldn’t get the equalizer.

Closing the chapter

Stone scored with 4:49 left off a two-on-one, then scored into an empty net to seal it.

Such as he was the first to hop on the ice, Marner was the last to get off. He skated to the opposite wall from the bench, threw a stick to a fan over the glass, then skated off to hugs from his teammates.

Thus, the Marner revenge tour reached its conclusion. Is he relieved it’s over?

“Yeah,” he said. “Honestly. I’m glad I don’t have to talk about it anymore.”