Isles Handle Tavares' Return in Their Own 6-1 Way

It's one thing for a team's favorite son to depart as a free agent.

It's another when that dude's the former captain and acclaimed heart-&-soul of the franchise.

Even though most objective fans would understand John Tavares wanting to play for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islander fans are just as understandably not objective about his spurning their team's higher offer.

 

To be sure, the Leafs have been getting elite value outta Tavares, which has them firmly ensconced in an Atlantic division playoff spot.

Surprisingly, the Isles have recovered quite nicely, led by Cup-winning coach Barry Trotz and holding down first place in the Metro.

 

Well, Tavares' first return to Long Island -- fittingly, at Nassau Coliseum -- had post-season implications, but that wasn't really the first thing on Isles fans' minds.

They didn't exactly take the team's tribute video to him in the spirit that it was meant, either:

 

However, it did seem cathartic to them in a mean and spiteful way.

Kinda like Tavares' first shift:

 

At least they settled on the same bad word.

The cherry on top was their homies drilling TO, 6-1, which surely had the same soothing effect:

 

Turns out this was actually Casey Cizikas' night with that pair of goals.

History was likely made, too. This may have been the first game where real, live snakes made their debut on the ice.

That probably won't catch on. The octopus thing in Detroit has been a stretch for years, so don't count on seeing a one-point critter trending. Unless these two clubs find a way to meet in the post-season.