TORONTO _ The Flyers could have used some of the goals they scored in a one-sided win two nights earlier.
They huffed and puffed but dropped a critical 4-2 decision to Toronto at the Air Canada Centre on Thursday night.
So instead of tying the Leafs in the standings, they fell four points behind Toronto, which took the Eastern Conference wild-card lead, pending the Islanders' result in Vancouver late Thursday.
Mitch Marner's power-play goal gave Toronto a 3-1 lead with 6 minutes, 16 seconds remaining.
With Michal Neuvirth pulled for an extra attacker, Shayne Gostisbehere cut the deficit to 3-2 with a rocket from the top of the right circle with 2:28 to go.
Nazen Kadri iced it with an empty-net goal with a minute left.
The Flyers' penalty kill continued its slide. They allowed two goals on two Toronto power plays, and have surrendered four power-play goals in six chances over the last two games.
Two nights earlier, the Flyers scored six even-strength goals in a 6-3 romp past Buffalo. But their penchant for not being about to finish their chances returned Thursday.
With 8:10 left and Toronto clinging to a 2-1 lead, Frederik Andersen made a sliding save on Claude Giroux's one-timer from the left circle while the Flyers were on a power play. Just as the power play expired, Brandon Manning hit the post with a point drive.
It was as close as the Flyers would get to scoring the equalizer.
Tyler Bozak stripped the puck from Sean Couturier and scored on a right-circle drive with 10:32 left in the second, giving Toronto a 2-1 lead.
The Leafs scored on a sequence that followed two near-misses by the Flyers down the other end. Frederik Andersen stopped Brayden Schenn on a two-on-one, then denied Michael Del Zotto on the rebound.
Both teams came close earlier in the second period.
Flyers center Valtteri Filppula deflected a shot off the right post just 25 seconds into the stanza.
With 11:44 to go in the second, Connor Brown beat Neuvirth, but his shot caromed off the crossbar.
"We turned the puck over too much," said Filppula about the Flyers' poor second period.
The teams traded power-play goals during a first period that ended in a 1-1 tie.
Leafs killer Wayne Simmonds loves playing in the city where he grew up, Toronto. His 28th goal _ Shayne Gostisbehere's blast deflected off him and past Andersen _ gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead with 13:51 left in the first.
It gave Simmonds four goals in three games against the Leafs this season _ and 10 in 22 career games vs. Toronto.
Simmonds snapped the Flyers' 0 for 14 power-play drought; he also tied teammate Brayden Schenn for the NHL lead with 14 power-play goals.
Nearly eight minutes later, William Nylander scored the equalizer, beating Michal Neuvirth with a well-placed shot that sailed over his left shoulder to the short side.
Neuvirth, making his first start in the last five games, looked rusty in the opening 30 minutes.
Before the game, Neuvirth was excited _ and a bit surprised _ to get the start against the Leafs, who entered the night sixth in the NHL, averaging 3.02 goals per game.
"It's a high-scoring team with a really good power play, so we have to make sure we stay out of the box and play simple hockey _ and play for each other in our D zone," Neuvirth said
The Flyers had two golden chances late in the first period. On one, Jake Voracek had an open net, but Zach Hyman saved a goal by blocking his backhand shot with 3:40 to go in the period. With about a minute left in the first, Chris VandeVelde couldn't convert a Grade-A chance in front.
Entering Thursday, just four points separated the five teams battling for the Eastern Conference's final wild-card spot.
The Flyers now have 16 games left _ eight at home, and eight on the road. The road games are at Boston, New Jersey (twice), Winnipeg, Minnesota, Columbus, Pittsburgh, and the New York Rangers. Out of that group, only New Jersey and Winnipeg are not in playoff spots.
