Golden Knights top Maple Leafs in Marner's return to Toronto

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Friday night in Mitch Marner's highly anticipated return to his hometown.

Marner was showered with boos throughout the evening after a messy departure from Toronto this past summer following nine seasons with the Maple Leafs. He was held off the scoresheet in Vegas' triumph.

"It was fine," Marner said of the boos, per TSN's Mark Masters. "I knew it was going to come tonight. Yeah, the cheering when I was going off was pretty funny. I didn't see that one coming, in a way. The booing when I had it was what I expected so I just tried to play through it and do my thing."

Marner drew a friendlier reaction from the Scotiabank Arena crowd during a first-period video tribute.

Overall, Marner's relieved the hoopla is over with.

"Yeah, completely. Definitely," Marner said. "Honestly, yeah. I don't have to talk about it anymore. I'm sure those guys (Maple Leafs) are relieved not having to talk about it, too."

Mark Stone carried the load for Vegas with two goals and an assist, including a key insurance marker late in the third period after the Maple Leafs failed to convert on a power play that could have tied the game.

The Golden Knights opened up a two-goal lead less than five minutes into the contest. Toronto got within one at two separate points but never equalized.

The Maple Leafs have lost five of their past six contests, including two defeats to the Golden Knights.

"For me, the standard's got to be better and higher," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said, according to David Alter of The Hockey News. "We're at home here. We're not playing consistently enough with the urgency that is needed."