THE CANADIAN PRESS: Alexei Ponikarovsky scored twice, and Jason Blake had a goal and two assists for Toronto. The Maple Leafs have lost two straight.
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Hanzal and Ponikarovsky exchanged goals in the first period, with the teams combining to score four times on four shots.
Hanzal gave Phoenix a 1-0 lead at 2:07 when he swept a long rebound past Toskala from between the circles.
Ponikarovsky made it 1-1 just 1:42 later when he pushed the puck between Tellqvist's pads from the right side of the net and off the left post.
Hanzal's second turn came at 12:05 of the period after Mikkel Boedker fired a shot wide off the glass behind the net. The puck ricocheted to Hanzal to the right side of the net and the centre chipped the puck toward the crease and off defenceman Anton Stralman's stick into the net.
Ponikarovsky answered again at 14:13, again on a rebound after Dominic Moore's pass in front bounced off Phoenix defenceman Keith Yandle's skate and Tellqvist's right pad onto Ponikarovsky's stick.

CBC Sports: Kulemin staked the Maple Leafs to a 1-0 lead just four minutes into the contest when Matt Stajan retrieved his own rebound and cycled the puck behind the net to Alexei Ponikarovsky, who fed the rookie in the slot for his sixth goal of the season.

Globe and Mail: ...head coach Ron Wilson to try Kulemin at left wing on the first line with centre Matt Stajan and Nik Antropov.
Besides, Antropov, an ethnic Russian who hails from Kazakhstan, was already working with Kulemin, a native of the remote Russian city of Magnitogorsk, on his transition to North America. Antropov is six years Kulemin's senior and serves as a lingual and cultural translator, as well as a mentor.
«Nik, in particular, has done a good job explaining things to him," Wilson said. «That's why I want him on that line, to help pick up his game.
«He doesn't speak English well, and you're in an English-only environment here. Fortunately, we've got Nik Antropov and [Alexei] Ponikarovsky as well who can help him when he doesn't understand what's going on.»
The experiment was launched last Friday night in the third period of the Leafs' 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres when Kulemin replaced Ponikarovsky, who was moved to a line with Mikhail Grabovski and Lee Stempniak. It will continue tonight at the Air Canada Centre against the New Jersey Devils.

Toronto Star: The Leafs still don't have a captain, but players like Antropov, Ponikarovsky, Kaberle and Pavel Kubina have stepped up to handle many of the duties associated with the role. Ironically, all four have been the subject of trade rumours.
There is concern in the dressing room that changes to the roster are imminent. But Ponikarovsky understands that line shuffles, revolving leadership and even trades may be necessary if the Leafs are to make the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.
«You'd prefer to play (with a set line), but line changes are the coach's decision and he's doing what he sees is best for the team," Ponikarovsky said. «You as a player have to do what is best for the team; that's what I want to do.»

The Sports Network: Kessel provided the four-goal margin with his 20th of the season at the 4:21 mark as his shot from the right circle eluded Joseph high into the net.
Ponikarovsky scored just over four minutes later, and Antropov made it 5-3 midway through the stanza on a tip-in of a John Mitchell shot.
Grabovski got a fortunate bounce and put in the disc from in close with 3:24 remaining in the second, but Kessel came right back by scoring on a shot from the right circle with two minutes left in the period.

Sports Network: Justin Pogge got the win in his NHL debut and the line of Alexei Ponikarovsky, Matt Stajan and Nik Antropov accounted for nine points, as the suddenly high-powered Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Atlanta Thrashers by a 6-2 final at Philips Arena.
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Stajan scored twice and assisted on another, Ponikarovsky had a goal and two helpers and Antropov logged three assists for Toronto, which has won five of its last six overall and is coming off an impressive 7-3 win against Pittsburgh Saturday at the Igloo.
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Ponikarovsky scored just 59 seconds into the game off his own rebound in front and the Leafs manufactured a second score with 9:17 to play in the period. Jason Blake threw it down low into the left corner where Moore corralled the puck behind the net, re-directing a pass out in front for Williams, who one- timed the disc into the top-right corner of the net.
Pogge and Lehtonen held their opposites off the scoreboard for most of the second until Toronto made it a 3-0 affair with 2:24 left.
The Leafs broke out of their own zone on a 3-on-2 with Ponikarovsky gaining the zone along the left boards before skating across the high slot and sending a backhand pass to Antropov at the right circle. Antropov accepted the puck and immediately directed it back across to a cutting Stajan inside the opposite circle and a swipe of the stick sent it past Lehtonen.

Toronto Sun: The Leafs faced the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center last night with fourth-line centre John Mitchell filling in Stajan's spot between Nik Antropov and Alexei Ponikarovsky. Mitchell said the pre-practice soccer warmup session —- which is quite routine —- got a little out of hand.
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«It's unfortunate we've lost him for a couple of games but hopefully it's nothing serious and he's going to be back soon," said Ponikarovsky. «We'll try to get chemistry with whoever we play with but it doesn't change our work ethic and preparation for the game.»

Sports Network: Alexei Ponikarovsky and Jason Blake each had a goal for the Maple Leafs, who have dropped two of three. Vesa Toskala gave up four goals on 34 shots.
«It's not what they were doing, it's what we weren't doing," said Ponikarovsky. «We couldn't get the puck out of our end, we were tired and kept turning pucks over.»
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Toronto got on the board at the 4:43 mark of the third thanks to a power-play goal from Ponikarovsky.

AP: Ponikarovsky pulled the Maple Leafs even 41 seconds into the third period. He took a pass from Matt Stajan with his back to the net in the goalmouth and shovelled in the puck between his legs.

Globe and Mail: One of the few bright spots in the Leafs' gloomy slump has been the goal-scoring prowess of Alexei Ponikarovsky. He has scored three times in four games, while linemate Nik Antropov hasn't scored in 10 outings.
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But will personable Ponikarovsky be around to finish the season in Toronto? With another year remaining on his contract at $2.1-million (U.S.), the dependable left winger is one of the few commodities club president and general manager Brian Burke has to trade.
«No, I'm not really nervous," Ponikarovsky said when asked whether he is worried he could be on the move before the NHL's trade deadline on March 4. «It's a part of the business. I can't control on what is happening there. I can control my game. So basically, I just try to do my best on the ice.»

Toronto Sun: Burke looking for deals
Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke will be a busy man this weekend. Not every GM attends all-star festivities, but there will be enough to hold trade talks. The chatter is the Leafs are shopping C Nik Antropov, LW Alexei Ponikarovsky and D Tomas Kaberle. In return, Burke will be looking for picks and prospects for the rebuilding club.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Alexei Ponikarovsky pushed the Toronto lead to 3-1 at 13:39 of the second period when he pounced on a rebound and pushed it under Garon's glove as the goaltender tried to stifle it.