They didn’t give John Tavares a ceremonial golden stick just for show.

The Maple Leafs alternate captain, honoured before Wednesday’s game against the Utah Mammoth for his 500th NHL goal, added No. 501 for the go-ahead 5-3 winner at Scotiabank Arena.

Coming through his office in the slot, Tavares had impeccable timing for a Bobby McMann pass that eluded two defenders. It was the seventh of the season for the 35-year-old Tavares and gave Toronto its first three-game winning streak.

Former Mammoth winger Matias Maccelli capped his own two-point game with an insurance marker, preceded by great cycling from Dakota Joshua . Matthew Knies potted an empty netter, before Dyaln Guenther closed the scoring for Utah.

The Leafs had all the momentum to start, from the Tavares pre-game ceremony

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