SPORTS

Kapanen scores twice as Leafs beat Wings 5-4 in OT

Joshua Clipperton The Canadian Press
Published Sunday, December 23, 2018 11:01PM EST

Toronto Maple Leafs Trevor Moore (left) skates past Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jonathan Bernier as he makes his NHL debut in Toronto, on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

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TORONTO - Kasperi Kapanen scored his second goal of the game at 1:53 of overtime as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 on Sunday night to head into the NHL's Christmas break on a high note.

Kapanen's winner squeezed through the pads of former Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier and had just enough to get over the goal line.

Morgan Rielly and John Tavares each had a goal and an assist, and Frederik Gauthier also scored in regulation for Toronto (25-10-2), which extended its winning streak to four games.

Garret Sparks made 26 saves for the Leafs.

Frans Nielsen, Filip Hronek, Michael Rasmussen and Christoffer Ehn replied for Detroit (15-17-8). Bernier stopped 19 shots for the Red Wings.

Down 4-3 and pressing for the tie, Tavares knotted things up with 7.6 seconds left in regulation when he tipped his 24th past Bernier off Jake Gardiner's point shot with Sparks on the bench for the extra attacker.