When John Tavares skated onto the ice during the introductions of starters Saturday night Custom Toronto Maple Leafs Jerseys , his Toronto Maple Leafs teammates peeled off to allow him to stand alone in the Scotiabank Arena spotlight.Two nights after the ugly reception the former Islanders captain received in his return to New York, Tavares was serenaded with wild applause and a standing ovation.And then he gave the home fans reason to cheer again.Tavares had a goal and two assists on a night Toronto fans dubbed “TavaresDayTO,” and the Maple Leafs beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 Saturday.“It was a pretty special moment, certainly to be recognized like that and get the support of the city and the fans,” Tavares said. “Shows you why it’s special to be a Maple Leaf. Definitely got some goosebumps, and a nice little boost there.“Nice to do it in a win, and come home on a Saturday and play the way we did.”Mitch Marner also had a goal and two assists, and Morgan Rielly, Nic Petan and Nikita Zaitsev each scored as the Maple Leafs won for the fourth time in five games. Frederik Andersen made 35 saves.Jason Pominville and Conor Sheary scored for Buffalo, and Linus Ullmark stopped 27 shots.The Leafs were back at Scotiabank Arena after losing 6-1 to the Islanders on Thursday night that both snapped their three-game winning streak, and spoiled what was already a tough return to Long Island for Tavares. The Islanders’ former captain was vigorously booed and serenaded with chants of “We Don’t Need You.”The nasty reception prompted Leafs fans to declare Saturday #TavaresDayTO on social media. They arrived at Scotiabank Arena carrying signs that read: “Dear John, We Do Need You, We Do Care! Love, Toronto” and “Toronto Loves You Tavares.”Even Toronto Mayor John Tory and former New York Rangers bad boy Sean Avery joined the conversation. Mayor Tory tweeted: “Don’t let the haters get you down @91Tavares, you’re home now and we’re proud you’re here in Toronto! #TavaresDayTO.” Avery posted an expletive-filled video condemning the New York crowd’s reaction.The Leafs changed their starting lineup introductions to announce Tavares last, prompting a huge roar and standing ovation from the crowd.“I thought it was great, but I also thought the people in New York showed the passion they have for John the other night,” Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. “To me, when you get booed on the road, you must be something special.”Tavares jammed in a loose puck for his 37th goal of the season www.officialcanucks.com , giving the Leafs an early lead just 4:20 into the game.Pominville tied it up at the 6-minute mark scoring off a loose puck in the crease that trickled through Andersen’s pads. Sheary, who scored Buffalo’s OT winner a night earlier, then put the Sabres ahead with a wrist shot off a bouncing puck.It was all Maple Leafs after that.Rielly notched his 16th with 20 seconds left in the first with a wrist shot that bounced around before slipping through Ullmark’s legs.Petan, who was acquired by the Leafs at Monday’s NHL trade deadline, scored his first goal for Toronto, a one-timer in front of the net with 4:58 left in the second.“Unreal pass, I was yelling super loud, when we got to the bench he said ‘good yell,'” Petan said. “It was a phenomenal pass. Didn’t really think about it too much, just smacked it and it went in.”Petan had only played 13 games for Winnipeg this season, sitting for long stretches. His goal was his first in more than a year.“Felt good to be out there again, and the goal was the cherry on top,” Petan said.Zaitsev padded the Leafs’ lead 55 seconds before the second intermission when he fired a hard pass that deflected off Sabres defenseman Brandon Montour and into the net.Marner’s empty-net goal came with just under two minutes to play.Marner was pleased with how his team bounced back after Thursday’s emotional loss, and praised the Leafs fans for their support of Tavares.“It was great seeing the fans interact with him like that and give him that ovation after that night in New York,” Marner said. “Obviously, it wasn’t the way we wanted to play.“It wasn’t the game we wanted and it was pretty harsh on him . . . All the (negative) stuff that you can hear, it doesn’t matter how strong-willed you are in your head, it’s going to affect you one way or another. That’s why I think it’s so special to come home and give him that love he deserves.”NOTES: The Leafs, third in the Atlantic Division, were missing defensemen Travis Dermott and Jake Gardiner. Gardiner was already out with a sore back before Dermott injured his shoulder when he was checked into the boards in Wednesday’s 6-2 win over Edmonton. Dermott is expected to miss four weeks. … The Sabres lost to Toronto for the third time this season Vancouver Canucks T-Shirts Authentic , including last week’s 5-3 loss Monday in Toronto on trade deadline day.UP NEXTSabres:Host Edmonton on Sunday night.Maple Leafs: At Calgary on Monday night to open a three-game trip to Western Canada. BOSTON (AP) — Tuukka Rask had a perfect spot to watch most of the action.Fortunately for the Boston Bruins, the few times he had to go to work, he was ready.Brad Marchand scored a power-play goal early in the opening period and Rask made it stand up with 20 saves in a relatively easy night for his third shutout of the season, lifting the surging Bruins to a 1-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night.“I think it comes with the experience,” Rask said of his light night. “You just kind of hang out, watch the game, take it like a practice. You start thinking too much and you kind of (hurt) yourself. You let your experience come in.”The victory improved the Bruins’ streak of at least one point in every game to 16 straight (12-0-4) and they haven’t lost in regulation since a 3-2 setback to the New York Rangers on Jan. 19. It’s their longest since 18 games (14-0-4) last season.Rask is 14-0-3 in his last 17 starts.“Goalies are human, too,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “They have a tendency to let their foot off, so to speak, and take a mental breather. . He’s really in a zone right now. It looked like one of his easier shutouts, but these games are sometimes harder because you don’t get a lot of action and you’ve got to stay focused.”Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 29 shots for the Devils, including Marchand’s penalty shot. New Jersey has lost five of seven.“You realize it’s 1-nothing, but it’s not like I feel a ton of pressure to not let another one in,” he said. “It’s more so I want to keep feeling good about my game to give the guys a chance.”It was the first time the Devils have been shut out since a 3-0 loss to Columbus on Dec. 23.“We made a good first pass,” New Jersey defenseman Andy Greene said. “It was maybe that second and third play coming out of our zone.”With Kenny Agostino in the penalty box for interfering with Rask, Marchand beat Blackwood with a wrister from the bottom of the right circle just 14 seconds into the power play after collecting a pass from Bergeron at 2:37. It was Bergeron’s 793rd career point, moving him into a sixth-place tie with Wayne Cashman on Boston’s all-time scoring list.Marchand had his penalty shot after getting hooked by defenseman Damon Severson almost five minutes after his goal, but Blackwood made a right-pad stop.Rask made a nice left-pad stop on winger Jesper Bratt, who cut in alone midway into the final period Vancouver Canucks Hoodies Authentic , bringing a loud roar from the crowd looking for some offense by the Bruins.In the second period, the Bruins outshot the Devils 10-4, getting a couple of good chances in the final minute that Blackwood turned aside.CAN’T MAKE THIS UPMarchand played his 666th career game and entered the contest with 666 career penalty minutes against, yep, the Devils.TO THE RESCUEBruins winger Jake DeBrusk, manning the front, with defenseman Charlie McAvoy carrying the rear, came jogging down a hallway holding a ladder to get a soccer ball down that was caught in some pipes in the ceiling about an hour before the game.Typically, a group of players kick the ball to each other in a circle wearing shorts and T-shirts before they get into their uniforms for warmups.NOTES: With so many forwards sidelined, the Devils moved defenseman Egor Yakolev up to play left wing on the fourth line. … Bruins winger Sean Kuraly is in concussion protocol. … New Jersey was without six forwards – Kyle Palmieri, Pavel Zacha, Nathan Bastian, Miles Wood, John Quenneville and Kurtis Gabriel, who was suspended for an illegal hit on Philadelphia’s Nolan Patrick on Friday. … Boston C Charlie Coyle turned 27 on Saturday.UP NEXTDevils: Host Columbus on Tuesday.Bruins: Host Carolina on Tuesday with the Hurricanes wearing their old Hartford Whalers jerseys, where the franchise was located before moving to North Carolina.