TORONTO -- The Los Angeles Kings knew they were going to lose sooner or later in regulation time this season.

They would have preferred later, but it turned out that it came in their eighth game of the season, a 3-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night.

"We battled back there, but you have to give them credit too, they played well and obviously penalties hurt us a little bit," said Los Angeles center Trevor Lewis, whose short-handed goal in the third period gave the Kings hopes of prolonging the streak. "The good thing is that we have to forget about it quick and come back (Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators) and bounce back."

Patrick Marleau scored what proved to be the deciding goal in the third period for the Maple Leafs, giving them a 3-1 lead.

"When you drop the ball like we did the other night in Ottawa (a 6-3 loss to the Senators) -- and I'm not taking anything away from Ottawa -- but we were no good," Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. "When you do that, you want to be able to respond. I thought we responded tonight. I also thought it was important -- (the Kings) hadn't lost and they're playing well."

Matt Martin and Tyler Bozak also scored for Toronto (7-2-0) and Mitch Marner added two assists. Frederik Andersen made 36 stops for the Maple Leafs.

"I didn't think they had quality chances," Babcock said. "I thought they had lots of point shots and we should have done a better job of getting into lanes, but I thought Freddie made the saves he needed to and I thought he was steady. They broke out too easy in the first, we weren't on them enough. Then, as the game got on, we got there."

Adrian Kempe also scored for the Kings (6-1-1), Lewis added an assist and goaltender Jonathan Quick made 30 saves.

"I think we deserved another goal," Kempe said. "We had some good chances and I think we played well. There are some things we've got to clean up in our D zone but overall we played a pretty good game."

The Maple Leafs led 1-0 at 5:46 of the first period on Martin's first goal of the season when the puck trickled over the line after his deflection of a shot by Roman Polak.

"You get down in a hockey game and you chase, it takes a lot of energy and you can see that," Kings coach John Stevens said. "It was a pretty even-fought game. I'd like to see us bear down on our chances a little bit."

Darcy Kuemper replaced Quick for the final 1:11 of the first period. Quick, who took a knock to the head with 2:55 to play, returned to start the second period.

There was some confusion. Quick left when the league spotter said he would need to be checked for a possible concussion under NHL protocol, but, after a review of the play, it was declared to be unnecessary. Quick tried to re-enter the game, but the referees said that he had to miss one play. Kuemper made one save.

The Kings outshot the Maple Leafs 17-10 in the first period.

Andersen kept the lead intact about 11 minutes into the second period with a foot save on a deflection by Los Angeles' Tanner Pearson.

The teams traded goals within 58 seconds in the second. Bozak scored from a scramble on a power-play at 14:44 for Toronto, his second goal of the season, and Kempe answered with his fourth from the left circle.

The Kings had a 29-25 advantage in shots on goal after two periods.

Just 22 seconds after goaltender interference erased a possible Toronto marker, the Maple Leafs took a 3-1 lead on Marleau's fourth goal at 2:54 of the third period.

Lewis scored his third goal of the season for the Kings, a short-handed solo effort at 12:19 of the third.

A roughing penalty to Quick at 17:55 of the third blunted a possible rally by the Kings. They did remove the goaltender for an extra attacker, to no avail.

"It was a big game," Martin said. "That's one of the top teams in the league. ... It was a big challenge for us, especially -- I think they wiped us clean here last year (7-0). They beat us by a touchdown or something so that's not very good. They're a big, strong team that can push teams around. I don't think we wanted to let that happen again."

NOTES: Maple Leafs D Calle Rosen was loaned to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL on Monday, a day after D Roman Polak agreed to a one-year deal. Polak was paired with D Andreas Borgman Monday. Toronto D Connor Carrick, C Eric Fehr and LW Josh Leivo were not in uniform. ... Kings RW Nic Dowd played in his fourth game of the season Monday and RW Justin Auger, D Kurtis MacDermid and C Jeff Carter (cut leg) did not dress. ... The teams will meet again Nov. 2 in Los Angeles. ... The Kings visit the Ottawa Senators Tuesday and the Maple Leafs will host the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.