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The Toronto Maple Leafs hoped that an 8-1 victory over Carolina on Tuesday was an indicator that recent struggles were behind them, but the club again put forth an incomplete effort in the second of back-to-back games, losing 4-2 to the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Wednesday.
Jake Gardiner and Mitch Marner scored for Toronto, but the Leafs were thwarted for by Columbus backup Joonas Korpisalo, who earned his fourth win of the season with an impressive 39-save effort. Curtis McElhinney made 33 saves and fell under .500 with the loss to his former club.
In contrast to the energy they displayed on home slightly more than 24 hours earlier, the Leafs were sluggish in the opening period on Wednesday and fell behind due to some lax defensive coverage.
On the opening goal, two Leafs forwards and defenseman Connor Carrick went to the corner in pursuit of the puck and Jake Gardiner vacated the front of the net, leaving the Jackets fourth liner Lukas Sedlak wide open to turn and fire on McElhinney.
Columbus extended their lead just seconds after a Toronto power play expired, as Gardiner’s soft pass to William Nylander was intercepted by blueliner Seth Jones, who counterattacked and fired a shot short side past the Leafs goaltender.
“I just thought we didn't compete hard enough. I thought (the Blue Jackets) competed harder than us.… Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said after the game. “We had the best back-to-back you can have. Sometimes you get a back-to-back and you get in at two in the morning and all that stuff. We were in(Columbus) at eight o'clock last night, so there's no reason for us not to be ready here today. We weren't good enough.…
The Leafs responded early in the second, as Nylander set up Gardiner for his third goal of the season.
Tyler Bozak, James van Riemsdyk and Mitch Marner were extremely effective for the second straight game after a combined 11 points against the Hurricanes.
Toronto pressed for the tying goal, but Pierre-Luc Dubois’ power play tally midway through the middle frame shut down any momentum they were generating.
Alexander Wennberg added to the Jackets lead in the third period and Marner replied with a carbon copy of his end-to-end rush on Tuesday for his fourth goal of the year, but it was not enough for the Leafs, who have lost four of their last five games.
“There's no reason for this (effort) tonight for me. I thought we could have been better.… Babcock said. “I thought the Bozak line absolutely dominated the game, I thought they were the best they've been all year, which is really good for us. But, we didn't have enough hands on deck.… In a busy month of December, there has been quite a disparity between the Leafs offensive and defensive effectiveness at Air Canada Centre and on the road.
At home, Toronto went 3-0-0 against Edmonton, Calgary and Carolina, scored 10 goals (3.33 goals per game) and allowed only two (0.66 GAA). On the road, the Leafs are 1-5-0, have scored 10 times (1.66 goals per game), and allowed 18 goals against (3.00 GAA).
That is something that will have to change for Toronto to keep pace this month, as the club finishes 2017 with road contests in New York, Arizona, Colorado and Vegas.
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