Leafs run out of steam, Blue Jackets win 4-2

COLUMBUS — Like weary Christmas shoppers, the Maple Leafs had little desire to chase another deal.

In their third back-to-back since Dec. 9, they were missing the needed energy to beat a big and determined Blue Jackets squad. While Toronto had romped the afternoon before at home in an 8-1 club centennial celebration, the Jackets had a couple of days to stew about a five-goal loss to Boston. The result was a 4-2 loss in a Wednesday grind-fest at Nationwide Arena.

In goal, it was the battle of two back-ups with unique backgrounds against the other team. Curtis McElhinney, waived by the Jackets a year ago but now winless in three tries against them, versus Joonis Korpisalo, rarely seen outside of Sergei Bobrovsky’s big shadow, but now with a 4-1 career record against Toronto.

McElhinney’s multi-pad stops on Cam Atkinson, and quick glove on Alexander Wennberg, both on a second period power play with the score close, held Toronto in the game, but little meaningful offence was sustained at the other end despite both getting in the 40-shot range

This was also the second game the Leaf defence did not have the injured Nikita Zaitsev and without Tuesday’s multi-goal lead to savour, there was more scrutiny on replacement Connor Carrick. Not the biggest of blueliners, he was thumped into the end boards a couple of times in the first period, one of the factors leading to the first Jackets’ marker.

With new centre William Nylander unable to win the battle to the loosened puck, a nifty pass from Matt Calvert through Jake Gardiner’s legs to an open Lukas Sedlak gave the fourth liner a goal. As the night progressed, coach Mike Babcock tried some different pairings. Carrick was also outmuscled when Wennberg broke away on the clinching fourth goal, after Nazem Kadri lost the offensive zone draw.

Zach Hyman drew a first-period penalty to big Gabriel Carlsson, but the ensuing advantage only underlined Kadri’s recent overall offensive woes. He has gone nine games without a point after nine with at least one. As that ho-hum power play effort came to an end, some sloppy passing was eventually picked off by defenceman Seth Jones.

The Leafs have one game remaining before the National Hockey League Christmas break, Saturday in New York, with one more practice on Friday that will determine whether Auston Matthews plays or takes the added four-day Christmas break to recover from an upper body injury.