TORONTO -- Playing the spoiler is a new role for Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock.

He had been used to coaching a consistently leading playoff contender with the Detroit Red Wings until he took over a rebuilding project with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season.

The Maple Leafs played the spoiler part well on Thursday night, putting a dent in the Carolina Hurricanes' playoff run with a 3-1 victory.

Babcock said he has the same attitude regardless of his team's standing.

"I don't think about that," he said when asked about playing the spoiler. "I think about the same every day whether you're winning all the time or not. You prepare for the game and try to win today. In the NHL if you're a player or a coach if you win today everything is okay."

Left winger Josh Leivo ended a tie with a second-period goal to put Toronto ahead to stay.

Right winger Brad Boyes scored a first-period goal for the Maple Leafs (21-28-10), who had lost their four previous games, one in overtime, and right winger Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau added a goal in the third period. Parenteau also had an assist.

Maple Leafs goaltender Jonathan Bernier stopped 30 shots.

Defenseman John-Michael Liles scored for the Hurricanes (28-24-10) while Cam Ward made 26 saves.

"They were better than us early on, they were more competitive than us early," Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said. "We were fortunate to come out of the first period tied 1-1. If you've got the energy at the end of the game you've got to find the willingness to be ready to play and start on time and we didn't do that tonight."

The Hurricanes lost center Jay McClement with an upper-body injury after his first shift. They lost center Andrej Nestrasil to a lower-body injury late in the second period when he fell into the boards after being hit. Peters had no immediate update after the game on the injuries.

Carolina could not take advantage of a power-play opportunity when Toronto center Daniel Winnik took a two-minute penalty for slashing at 11:43 of the third period.

The Maple Leafs came back with an even-strength goal when Parenteau knocked in a pass from center Nazem Kadri at 15:59 of the third period for his 16th goal of the season.

"We played a hard game," Parenteau said. "We don't want to fold our cards by any means. While we're out there, we want to play hard and win every game. I thought the guys played a strong game tonight and we forechecked pretty well too."

Boyes scored his seventh goal of the season on a power play at 10:12 of the first period after Liles was penalized for tripping. Center Colin Greening and defenseman Morgan Rielly, whose shot at goal started the sequence, picked up assists.

Liles tied the game at 16:01 with his sixth goal of the season. He wired a slap shot to the glove side from the left point after center Eric Staal won the faceoff in the Maple Leafs zone.

"It doesn't matter where they are in the standings, it's just frustrating to, I don't think, play as well as we needed to play," Liles said. "It doesn't matter where they are in the standings. We got outplayed pretty well in the first period and we didn't get our legs under us until probably the second and it ended up costing us."

Toronto had a 15-6 advantage in shots on goal in the first period.

"I thought the first period was our best period and kind of set the tone for the game," said Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner who had an assist. "We struggled a bit in the second but ended up getting it done."

The Maple Leafs regained the lead at 5:33 of the second period on Leivo's fourth goal of the season. He was set up by Parenteau on a two-on-one after Leafs defenseman Viktor Loov broke up a play.

Nestrasil was helped from the ice late in the second period after he went into boards after a hit by Toronto Kadri. There was no penalty.

NOTES: The Hurricanes put C Brad Malone on waivers. The 26-year-old had two goals and three assists in 37 games. He had been a healthy scratch for 11 straight games. ... Carolina D Justin Faulk (ankle) was out with complications from the injury that sidelined him for six games. He returned Tuesday in the win over the Philadelphia Flyers and practiced Wednesday, but the ankle has not responded to treatment. ... The Maple Leafs confirmed that LW James van Riemsdyk (non-displaced fracture in left foot) and LW Joffrey Lupul (sports hernia surgery) are out for the season. ... The Hurricanes won 1-0 in overtime on Jan. 21 in their previous visit to Air Canada Centre and the Maple Leafs won 2-1 at Carolina on Nov. 20. ... The Leafs will play Saturday in Montreal against the Canadiens. The Hurricanes are home to the Boston Bruins on Friday.