Maple Leafs Lose Captain, Another Game, As Ottawa Defeats Toronto 3-2

The Toronto Maple Leafs appear to be coming apart at the seams.

Sergei Gonchar and Erik Karlsson scored power-play goals just over two minutes apart Tuesday as the Ottawa Senators beat the Maple Leafs 3-2.

Brian Elliott was poised to become the third straight goalie to blank Toronto until Francois Beauchemin trickled a point shot by him at 5:15 of third period. That ended the team’s goal drought at 167 minutes 39 seconds, making it the franchise’s longest since 1927, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

The Maple Leafs went 181:45 without scoring from Dec. 3 to Dec. 8, 1927.

Making matters worse for Toronto was the fact captain Dion Phaneuf left Tuesday’s game during the second period with an apparent injury to his left leg. He got tied up awkwardly with Ottawa’s Peter Regin and needed assistance to get to the team’s dressing room.

The team described it as a “lower-body injury.”

It made for an eventful evening as Ottawa beat its provincial rival for the first time since last November. Mike Fisher had the other goal on a penalty shot for the Senators (5-6-1), who overcame some of their own goal-scoring woes.

Clarke MacArthur also scored for Toronto (5-5-1).

The Maple Leafs have tumbled in the standings after a hot start. The team is 1-5-1 in its last seven games, scoring just nine goals over that span.

GM Brian Burke held an impromptu media scrum during the first intermission to chastise fans who had been booing Phaneuf. He also addressed the scoring woes.

“Well, it’s dried up a lot,” said Burke. “Obviously, we’re having trouble putting the puck in the net right now. I have nothing pending that might solve that. We’re going to have to solve it internally for now.”

Fisher opened the scoring at 17:06 of the first period on a penalty shot after he was hooked by Maple Leafs defenceman Mike Komisarek. Fisher beat J.S. Giguere with a low shot — becoming the second player in as many games to score on a penalty shot against the goalie, following Ryan Callahan of the Rangers on Saturday.

The Leafs had a number of chances to tie the game during two consecutive power plays early in the second, but were unable to beat Elliott. A frustrated Phil Kessel even slammed the puck into the boards shortly after a whistle.

The goals by Gonchar and Karlsson came 2:26 apart just before the midway point of the game. They each beat Giguere with point shots.

After Beauchemin ended Toronto’s long goal drought with his second of the season, MacArthur cashed in on a power play with 50.3 seconds left. However, the Leafs couldn’t complete the comeback.

Notes:Brett Lebda and John Mitchell were healthy scratches for Toronto. … Ottawa sat out Milan Michalek and Brian Lee. … Country singer Carrie Underwood attended the game and will perform at Air Canada Centre on Wednesday. She is married to Fisher. … Announced attendance was 19,409.