BUDS DIG OUT OF TWO-GOAL DEFICIT IN SECOND PERIOD - AND ENNIS STARTS COMEBACK

Coming home to Scotiabank Arena after sweeping their three-game California road swing, the Leafs found themselves down 2-0 heading into the first intermission. Toronto began Monday's game with spirit and focus, but the final 15 minutes of the first saw the Blue Jackets dominate play and produce goals from forwards Cam Atkinson and Pierre-Luc Dubois.

However, the second period was a different story altogether. After being outshot 14-6 in the first frame, Toronto and Columbus each had 11 shots in the middle frame - and Leafs winger Tyler Ennis netted the Leafs' first goal of the night at the 13:01 mark:

Video: CBJ@TOR: Ennis beats Bobrovsky from a sharp angle

Ennis' hard work behind the net of Sergei Bobrovsky paid off when he spun out to the goal line and fired a shot that evaded the Jackets goalie for Ennis' third goal of the season. That got Leafs Nation loud and proud, and it infused Buds players with an energy that would help them get even with Columbus before the second intermission came around.

The Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has loaned forward Trevor Moore to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).

BUDS NET FIRST GOAL, CONTINUING PATTERN SET ON CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP

Playing the final game of a three-game California road swing Friday, the Leafs continued a positive streak of scoring the first goal of the contest when forward Patrick Marleau netted his fourth goal of the season (and the only goal of the first period) at the 5:42 mark:

Video: TOR@ANA: Marleau uses his skate to open the scoring

Marleau registered his third goal in his past eight games by getting to the front of the net and having his skate redirect a shot by blueliner Jake Gardiner past Ducks goalie John Gibson. And that first goal was important, as Toronto has won all eight games in which they'd scored first heading into Friday's showdown.

TAVARES STRIKES AGAIN, PUTS LEAFS AHEAD WITH GAME'S FIRST GOAL

Toronto was in the middle game of a three-game California road swing Thursday, and after thoroughly thrashing the L.A. Kings Tuesday, their confidence was high. It got higher against the Sharks two days later, when, for the second straight game, the Maple Leafs scored the night's first goal within the first three minutes of the first period - in this case, courtesy of centre John Tavares:

Video: TOR@SJS: Tavares stakes Maple Leafs to early lead

Tavares showed the value of just getting the puck toward the net; although his pass was intended for linemate Zach Hyman, the puck ricocheted off of Sharks defenceman Marc-Edouard Vlasic and past goalie Martin Jones at the 2:10 mark of the opening frame. Tavares wound up with his team-leading 12th goal of the year - and his fifth goal in his past six games - and the Buds had the home team playing catch-up almost immediately.

 

Looking to bounce back after having a three-game win streak snapped Saturday in Boston, the Maple Leafs took the ice at Staples Center in Los Angeles Tuesday playing like a team laser-focused on getting back to the win column.

The Kings are a struggling squad with a new head coach in Willie Desjardins, and although they've got a slew of players who've achieved big things in hockey's top league, L.A. were not in top form as the Buds struck early and often.

KADRI NETS FIRST OF BOOKENDED GOALS, KICKS OFF LEAFS' POWER PLAY DOMINANCE

The Leafs had a three-game win streak snapped Saturday in Boston, but from the moment Toronto's players took the ice at Staples Center in Los Angeles Tuesday, they played like a team laser-focused on getting back to the win column. The Kings are a struggling squad with a new head coach in Willie Desjardins, and although they've got a slew of players who've achieved big things in hockey's top league, L.A. were not in top form as the Buds mauled them.

Toronto pressured the Kings into taking a penalty just 1:15 into the first period, and the Leafs capitalized on the power play - something that would repeat itself often in this game - when centre Nazem Kadri tapped in a perfect pass from winger Mitch Marner at the 2:42 mark:

Video: TOR@LAK: Kadri finishes tic-tac-toe for PPG

The power play marker was the sixth goal of the season (and the sixth in his past nine games) for Kadri, and it was the first of two goals he'd score against L.A. Tuesday. Kadri is flourishing right now, finding the net with pinpoint precision and benefitting from the creative brilliance of Marner.

The Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has recalled forward Trevor Moore from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).

TAVARES SCORES GAME'S FIRST GOAL AS LEAFS CLAMP DOWN ON DEVILS' FORWARDS

Toronto's defence has been impressive of late, and it was in fine form as Friday's game against the Devils began: the Leafs prevented New Jersey from getting a shot on goaltender Frederik Andersen until nearly seven minutes into the first period, and the Buds outshot the visitors 15-7 in the first 20 minutes of play.

That commitment to defence paid off in the middle of the first, when Toronto got a golden opportunity and made the most of it to register the first goal of the night:

Video: NJD@TOR: Tavares pots Hainsey's dish to open scoring

The scoring sequence began when D-man Morgan Rielly got the puck to fellow blueliner Ron Hainsey, and Hainsey took a half-second to recognize centre John Tavares was wide open to the right side of Devils netminder Keith Kinkaid. Hainsey deftly slid the puck over to Tavares, who knocked it into the net for his ninth goal of the season and a 1-0 Leafs lead at 12:24 of the period.

Tavares' goal was the only one scored in the opening frame, which was dominated by the Leafs. Toronto carried a two-game win streak into Friday's matchup, and their confidence and trust in each other was readily apparent throughout the night.

 

At the start of this season, the Maple Leafs were winning games by carving out a lot of offence - and allowing a little fewer goals - than did their opponents. In its past six games, Toronto has built a record of 4-2-0, but only once in that span have the blue & white given up more than two goals. That's more like the type of hockey head coach Mike Babcock wants to see, but as the Buds prepare to host New Jersey at Scotiabank Arena Friday night, Leafs players and coaches believe there's room for growth at both ends of the ice.

The Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has loaned forward Trevor Moore to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).