TORONTO — The Detroit Red Wings feasted on a backup goaltender to build a cushy lead on one of the top teams in the NHL.
They still needed to go to overtime to close, but Dylan Larkin took care of that, scoring five-hole to secure a 5-4 victory against the Maple Leafs.
The Wings took a 4-1 lead into the third period Thursday at Scotiabank Arena on the strength of scoring from a couple unusual sources, and a fine night by the penalty killers. But the Leafs showed why they’re among the league leaders in offense, chipping away at the Wings’ lead with a furious third period.