TORONTO _ Lapses by the Wild this season have come in spurts.
There was the three-goal outburst by the Penguins in 2 minutes, 28 seconds, back-to-back tallies by the Jets in 28 seconds and a pair by the Avalanche in 1:27. The Predators started the trend in the season opener with two in 1:29.
But the Wild's latest letdown lasted much longer.
After muscling a one-goal lead to the first intermission, the team fell apart in the second _ a befuddled decline in which the Maple Leafs scored four times to pull away for a 4-2 mismatch Tuesday at Scotiabank Arena that dropped the Wild to 1-5.
In 18 periods, the Wild has been tagged for 25 goals.
Toronto's premier players led the comeback: defenseman Morgan Rielly racked up four assists, winger Mitch Marner scored and set up two others and center Auston Matthews registered his team-leading seventh goal.
Captain John Tavares put the rally in motion only 1:58 into the second when his shot sailed through traffic and over goalie Devan Dubnyk's left shoulder.
During a Leafs power play later in the frame, Marner's shot trickled through Dubnyk's five hole and rolled into the net at 7:17 to give Toronto a 2-1 edge.
The Wild was on the brink of getting a glorious chance to even the score when Donato skated into the Leafs' zone on a breakaway, but the play was whistled down after winger Ryan Hartman was called for holding for grabbing Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin behind the action.
Only 10 seconds into the advantage, winger Andreas Johnsson batted in a puck that bounced off the glass behind the net and into the slot.
With 6:55 to go in the second, Matthews finished off a give-and-go with Marner _ capping off the four-goal run in 11:07.
Toronto ended up going 2-for-3 on the power play; the Wild was 0-for-3.
Even while the Wild was ahead, the team looked scrambly.
Just 35 seconds after the initial puck drop, defenseman Ryan Suter was called for slashing winger William Nylander after Nylander broke in alone on Dubnyk.
At 5:30 a shot from the left side from winger Luke Kunin got through goalie Frederik Andersen, who totaled 27 saves. Dubnyk had 30.
But the Wild struggled to apply regular pressure after that let alone build on that cushion, a fumble that paved the way for the Leafs to capitalize in the second.
Newcomer Gerald Mayhew recorded his first career goal in his NHL debut with 1:02 to go, burying a loose puck in front.
