John Tavares shares touching message after milestone game

It was a milestone night for Toronto Maple Leafs forward and captain John Tavares at Scotiabank Arena, as he skated in his 1,000th career game. Prior to the game against the visiting Washington Capitals, a special ceremony was held that included a video tribute with special words from several of Tavares former teammates with the Islanders and Leafs, along with the presentation of a silver stick from general manager Kyle Dubas. 

It certainly was a touching moment for Tavares, who had his parents along with his wife and two young sons by his side during the ceremony. 

“It was just awesome to have my parents (on the ice), the years of growing up and all the things they did and sacrificed, the hard work that they put in, just to give me the opportunity to play the game,” Tavares said. “And then to see something there and put me in the right environments to excel. My wife and my boys, all the sacrifices they make on a daily basis, (let me) do what I love to do and make it really special. To have them out there was great, and some great messages from important people along the way, teammates, close friends. A great night all around.”

Tavares played a role in his team's 5-1 victory over the Caps, helping to erase the bitter taste of their embarrassing setback against the Ottawa Senators earlier in the week.

“He’s a consummate pro,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “It’s a big day for him. For a guy that is as routine and as regimented as he is, there would be a lot of stuff happening that would be out of the norm. For him to work through that, enjoy the special time with his family and then go out and perform and be a part of the win the way he was, it’s a great way to finish it.”

“I just tried to be where my feet were all day long and stick to the preparation,” Tavares said. “I take a lot of pride in my craft and trying to get better and I really enjoy it. I love to do it. It has been a great journey so far.”

The Leafs take on the NHL-leading Boston Bruins on Wednesday night, the final game for both teams before the All-Star break.