Despite giving up a third-period goal to the New York Islanders, the Toronto Maple Leafs were able to hold on for a 5-3 win in Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. With the win, the Maple Leafs have an 18-13-4 record with 40 points and the Islanders fall to 11-16-6 with 28 points.
All five Maple Leaf goals were scored by different players. Clarke MacArthur, Nazem Kardi and Carl Gunnarsson all scored in the first before the Islanders answered back. Joey Crabb scored a short-handed goal in the second and Joffrey Lupul scored an empty-net goal with less than a minute left in the third period.
The Islanders' three goals were scored by Kyle Okposo late in the first period, Frans Nielsen scored a power-play goal in the second and John Tavares scored midway through the third.
The Islanders face the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden on December 26 and the Maple Leafs play the Florida Panthers in the BankAtlantic Centre in Sunrise, Florida on December 27.