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The learning continues for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In three games on this Western trip, the Leafs finished with one win and two losses, with the Phoenix Coyotes taking a 6-3 victory last night in front of a few thousand people who were somehow announced as a crowd of 13,377 at the Jobing.com Arena.

The latest to experience the sting of Leafs head coach Ron Wilson's teaching methods were defenceman Tomas Kaberle and left winger Alexei Ponikarovsky. Wilson, unhappy with Kaberle's play in a loss Tuesday to the San Jose Sharks, kept him on the bench for the entire first period.

Ponikarovsky, another culprit in that loss, was dropped to the third line with centre Dominic Moore and right winger Jason Blake. But the Ukrainian responded with two goals last night, and that line scored all three Leaf goals with Blake providing the third.

Benching the best defenceman on the team is something that has probably not been seen in Toronto since the 1960s and the dictatorial rule of Punch Imlach. But Wilson's rebuke of Kaberle had the full approval of new Leafs president and general manager Brian Burke.

"I'm the easiest GM for a coach to play for," Burke said. "I support whatever the coach does. I don't think he was happy with Tomas's game in San Jose.

"[Wilson] was making a statement, and that's his prerogative and will always be his prerogative."

Over the past five games, Kaberle's ice time has slid downward from about 25 minutes a game as the coach grew unhappy with his play. Wilson felt the time was right for a clearer message in the first period, although he used Kaberle a great deal for the rest of the game.

However, Wilson's sanctions did not exactly inspire Kaberle and his teammates, as they collapsed in the third period.

Steven Reinprecht scored two consecutive goals in the third period to put the Coyotes ahead 5-3 and then Todd Fedoruk finished the scoring with 16 minutes 8 seconds elapsed.

Kaberle, who was not told before the game he would be benched, was on the ice for all three Coyotes goals in the third period and finished at minus-3.

"Obviously, it was hard," Kaberle said. "I take it seriously. That's the way it is. I have to keep my head up and get my ice time back."

Wilson, who may order his troops to stay here for a practice today before flying back to Toronto, was not sure Kaberle got the message.

"Yeah, he obviously sent a message back," the coach said. "He was [minus-3]."

It was the Leafs' fourth game in six nights in three time zones, but Wilson did not think they should use that as an excuse for the collapse in the third period.

"We still need a more focused effort," Wilson said. "We didn't look like there was anything in the tank in the third period."

The Coyotes and Leafs are in the same position, as both are trying to rebuild with youth. However, with such young talent as Kyle Turris, Keith Yandle, Martin Hanzal and Peter Mueller, the Coyotes are a little farther along that road.

It was Hanzal's turn to step forward last night, and the 21-year-old scored three goals by the first minute of the second period.

On the personnel front, Burke said he is negotiating with David Nonis, his right-hand man with the Anaheim Ducks, for the post of senior vice-president and director of hockey operations for the Leafs. But there was no progress made yesterday.

Game sheet

NOTES: Phoenix Coyotes head coach Wayne Gretzky doesn't think his team was lucky to catch the Toronto Maple Leafs coming off a loss to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday in the second of back-to-back games. "They played a real tough team the other night in San Jose," Gretzky said. "They were coming off a hard win in L.A. the night before, so it's tough." … Going into the Coyotes game, Leafs winger Niklas Hagman had six points in his past five games. … The Coyotes recently ended a six-game losing string, but Gretzky says he was satisfied with the way they played. "We had three losses all by the same score, 3-2," he said. "We played hard and the team is playing hard in every game, which is all you can ask."

NEXT GAME: Tomorrow, against Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. EST.

TV: CBC