After the opening 20 minutes on Saturday night, it seemed like the Toronto Maple Leafs would cruise to a second consecutive victory over the basement-dwelling Columbus Blue Jackets. Then they fell flat in the second period en route to a 4-3 defeat.

"Just got outworked, outplayed," head coach Sheldon Keefe said postgame about his team's performance in the middle frame, according to TSN's Mark Masters.

"I can't (explain it)," he added. "You guys talked to the players. I'm sure you asked them the same questions. I can't do the work for them."

Keefe added that "effort" and "competitiveness" were the issues rather than execution.

The Leafs entered the first intermission with a 2-0 lead after controlling 75.82% of the expected goals, per Natural Stat Trick. However, they only controlled 42.08% of the expected goals the rest of the way.

Entering the third period down 3-2, Keefe's messaging was simple.

"(The players) got to make the decision how important it is to them," he said. "That's really it."

Despite sitting fifth in the NHL in points percentage, Toronto tends to play down to lesser opponents, such as the 32nd-ranked Blue Jackets. The Leafs own a 5-4-4 record against the NHL's eight worst teams this season, but they're 27-10-4 against the rest of the league.

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The Jakob Chychrun sweepstakes appear to be coming to a dramatic end.

The Arizona Coyotes announced they're making the defenseman a healthy scratch Saturday against the St. Louis Blues due to trade-related reasons.

Chychrun, 24, has been on the trade block since at least January 2022, but a deal has yet to come to fruition.

Chychrun has registered 28 points in 36 games this season. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound blue-liner is signed through 2024-25 with a $4.6-million cap hit.

The Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and Columbus Blue Jackets are among the teams that have been previously linked to Chychrun.

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Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg was stretchered off the ice with an apparent leg injury late in the third period of Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

Senators defenseman Travis Hamonic pushed Oilers forward Zach Hyman into Forsberg moments before Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored Edmonton's sixth goal.

Forsberg looked to be in serious pain after the collision forced his leg into an awkward position.

Ottawa challenged the tally for goaltender interference, but it ultimately stood.

Mads Sogaard entered the game in relief. Cam Talbot, who has split the crease with Forsberg this season, hasn't played since Jan. 25 due to a lower-body injury.

The Senators didn't provide postgame updates on Forsberg or rookie defenseman Jake Sanderson, who also exited the tilt with an injury, according to the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch.

Forsberg, 30, entered Saturday's contest with a 3.13 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage in 27 appearances. He logged a .935 save percentage and a 3-0-0 record in Ottawa's last three games before the All-Star break.

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Vegas Golden Knights rookie goaltender Logan Thompson is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Thompson appeared to hurt himself on a non-contact play during Thursday's 5-1 victory against the Minnesota Wild. He didn't put any weight on his left leg as he exited the ice.

The Golden Knights recalled goaltender Laurent Brossoit from the AHL in a corresponding move.

Thompson has run with the starting job in Vegas while posting a .914 save percentage and 2.66 goals against average across 36 appearances.

The 25-year-old is considered one of the top candidates for the Calder Trophy behind Seattle Kraken star Matty Beniers. Thompson, who represented the Golden Knights at the All-Star Game, is one of nine goalies to hit the 20-win mark so far this campaign.

The Golden Knights have been hit hard by injuries of late, with Captain Mark Stone out indefinitely after undergoing his second back surgery in less than a year.

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