The Maple Leafs welcomed Joseph Woll back, but their losing streak remains a going concern.
They couldn’t protect a one-goal lead — or capitalize on great chances to increase it — in falling 3-2 at the United Center, their fifth straight setback and dropping them to 8-9-2.
Woll, in his first start in net since April 17 after leaving in training camp for personal reasons, faced 32 shots and was sharp until some late-game defensive woes haunted he and his mates again. The Leafs outshot the Blackhawks 33-32.
Chicago, which has won five consecutive, tied it 2-2 early in third period when beleaguered defenceman Philippe Myers, in for the injured Brandon Carlo, was on for his second goal against of the night. Frank Nazar, with a nifty spinning pass around Myers, fed Teuvo Teravainen who beat Woll upstairs after dragging the puck past Morgan Rielly in close.
Colton Dach then tipped a hard point shot past Woll with 4:25 to go after the Leafs collectively couldn’t clear.
Toronto took a lead into the third for just the fifth time in 19 games, having to survive a coach’s challenge to make a Rielly goal stand up. Chicago called attention to an earlier high-sticked puck by William Nylander, but it couldn’t be fully determined by video review.
Rielly’s third of the season came after a near 80-second push in Chicago’s zone, a reversal of recent difficulties endured by the Leafs. But the visitors couldn’t click on the power play that followed and hit a few posts on Spencer Knight in the course of the evening.
Toronto entered play with four key injury absentees, captain and career 410-goal scorer Auston Matthews, shutdown defencemen Chris Tanev, Carlo and No. 1 netminder Anthony Stolarz.
Those, combined with head coach Craig Berube’s urgent message for the team to block out increasing calls for changes from the public put the Leafs under scrutiny at puck-drop. But they registered 14 of their 33 shots, their most in a first period this season, and just one less than Thursday’s total in an overtime loss to the Kings.
That allowed them to overcome a deflating goal by Ryan Greene after Myers was too timid on coverage, leading to an all-too-easy seam pass.
After heavy pressure by the Leafs, John Tavares bulled his way to the net and Nick Robertson cleaned up with his fifth goal of the season.
The Leafs have two home games next week before going on the road for six.
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