The final seconds ticked off the clock, as the Islanders secured a point in for the 13th time in their last 14 games, but a crucial second point was still up for grabs.
Just seconds into the extra frame, the always-dangerous Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner entered the zone 2-on-1 against Noah Dobson. Dobson got a stick on the puck and deflected it towards Sorokin, who pushed the puck to the side, where Dobson retrieved it and sent it up the ice to Mat Barzal. The Isles entered the zone with a 2-on-1 of their own with Barzal and Bo Horvat, where Barzal sent a nifty saucer pass past Reilly to Horvat, who roofed a shot past Samsonov to give the Isles the 4-3 victory and their third straight win.
Tavares, the ultimate competitor who just celebrated a moment few players in history ever have looked dejected on the bench. A crowd that was disappointed moments earlier was in an uproar, as the Islanders were the ones who got the last laugh on the night.
Tavares was the face of the Islanders franchise for nine seasons after he was drafted first overall in 2009, scoring 621 points in blue and orange. What made the ending even sweeter for the Isles was the fact that a player in Horvat, who committed to the Islanders for 8-years in the prime of his career, and Barzal, whom Tavares famously coined 'the kid who won the Calder,' we're the two who sent the Leafs home without the second point.
“Barzal and I looked at each other and just said, 'Chance to be the heroes, I guess, tonight,' and he made a heck of a play to get it over to me, and I had to put it in the net from there,” Horvat said.