Wild can't find scoring touch in Toronto, loses for fourth time in last five games

TORONTO — Low-scoring, tight-checking hockey used to be the Wild's specialty.

But the team looked out of practice in its latest attempt.

Aside from a lack of energy, the Wild also didn't deliver the make-or-break play that decides these types of games.

That belonged to the Maple Leafs, who snapped a third-period tie before running away 3-1 on Thursday in front of 9,410 at Scotiabank Arena to hand the Wild its fourth loss over the past five games.

As for this Canadian trip, the Wild is 1-2 ahead of the finale Saturday at Calgary.

"Especially from now on the games are going to be like that," said goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen, who made 22 saves while suffering just his second regulation loss over his past 11 starts. "It's just a matter of finding ways to win those games. It's not easy, but we just needed one play there, one bounce."

Toronto's Auston Matthews supplied that game-changing goal, scoring with 9 minutes, 38 seconds remaining after picking the puck off the Wild's Brandon Duhaime and burying a give-and-go with Mitch Marner behind Kahkonen.

Not only was the goal Matthews' NHL-leading 36th, it was his second of the night.

"I don't think it was a mistake as opposed to him making a special play," Wild coach Dean Evason said. "He's one of the best players in the world for a reason."

But for almost the first half of the game, the Wild kept Matthews and the Leafs, who have racked up the fourth-most goals in the league, in check.

Kahkonen didn't make his first save until more than halfway through the first period, and the Wild grabbed the lead 8:37 into the second when Frederick Gaudreau one-timed a behind-the-net pass from Matt Boldy by Toronto goalie Petr Mrazek, who totaled 29 saves.

This advantage didn't last long. On the next shift, Matthews capitalized off the rush at 9:04.

After that, both teams resumed their staring contest. The Wild blanked on a power play later in the second and another early in the third, finishing 0-for-4, and the Leafs went 0-for-2.

"It didn't look like we had that same jump that we normally do," Evason said of the Wild, which ranks just ahead of Toronto in goals at third. "Our offensive zone, we didn't have a lot of sustained stuff down there. We didn't find pucks and get to pucks really quickly. Obviously, we'll try to figure it out."

Faceoffs also were an issue, with the Wild winning just 30% of draws (19-for-63)).

"Couldn't win any draws, forget about the big draw," Evason said. "It's a concern."

And yet the Wild was still in a favorable position after two periods, sitting tied with the Leafs.

"Any game on the road I think it's a decent spot to be in," Kahkonen said.

But in the third, Toronto upped its urgency.

Kahkonen remained steady, deploying his glove to stop Matthews in tight and blocking two shots from Rasmus Sandin while the Wild was scrambling in its end.

After that pressure culminated in Matthews scoring to move ahead of Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl for the most goals in the league, the Wild vied for the equalizer — including sending Kahkonen to the bench for an extra attacker in the waning minutes. But the response it was seeking never arrived.

Instead, the Leafs' Alexander Kerfoot deposited the puck into an empty net with 42 seconds to go.

"We could have won that game," Jonas Brodin said. "They took advantage of their chances a little bit better. It's tough to lose, for sure."