WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- One rookie goaltender stood tall Wednesday night, while another took the fall.

Connor Hellebuyck, playing just his second career NHL game, made 32 saves and right winger Drew Stafford fired a pair of first-period goals to spark the Winnipeg Jets to a 6-1 thrashing of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the MTS Centre.

Leafs goalie Garret Sparks shouldered the blame for the defeat after allowing six goals on 35 shots -- just 48 hours after posting a shutout victory over the Edmonton Oilers in his NHL debut.

"I never am (happy) when I let in six, so back to the drawing board (Thursday)," said the 22-year-old Sparks. "I didn't do the things that make me good today and I paid for it."

Was he being too hard on himself, he was asked?

"No, no, I expect to have all those," he said. "We were in a good position after two and there was a couple of saves I could have made early in the third period to keep it 2-1 and it's a different game if I do that."

The Jets were down 1-0 on an early goal by right winger Michael Grabner, who tapped in a terrific pass from center Daniel Winnik just 2:02 into the game for Toronto (8-12-5). But Stafford fired his eighth and ninth goals of the season before the period was over, both assisted by center Mark Scheifele.

After a scoreless second period, Scheifele ripped his ninth goal of the season and left winger Andrew Ladd added his seventh in a span of just over a minute early in the third period to supply some breathing room for the Jets (12-12-2).

Sparks said he lost his composure after the Scheifele tally.

"I let that third goal get into my head and the fourth one came quickly after that," he said. "It's one thing to let in a goal and it's another thing to let it affect you further on in the game. One of my best assets I would say is to put things behind me, and, for whatever reason, I just didn't do that in the third period and I paid for it.

"It's my second NHL game and it's a learning experience. I think you ask anybody who comes into this league, it's a difficult league and they're going to take their lumps. And I got it out of the way early, I guess."

Center Bryan Little scored his 10th on the power play midway through the final frame. Winnipeg's resident tough guy, right winger Anthony Peluso, showed some nifty hands for his first goal of the year late in the game.

Afterward, a sympathetic Toronto head coach Mike Babcock let his goaltender off the hook.

"He shouldn't have taken ownership (for the loss)," he said. "I thought we were set up really good going into the third period down 2-1. We came out and dominated the first shift of the third and then we made enough mistakes to make the goalie take ownership for no reason.

"He's a kid and we were under siege in the third period and, let's be honest, we weren't good enough. That's the most speed we've let come at us, we didn't slow them down or spend enough time in the (offensive) zone or do enough things to be successful tonight and in the end you get what you deserve."

Hellebuyck, called up Nov. 22 after an injury to Winnipeg starter Ondrej Pavelec, was solid in his home debut after earning a 3-1 victory last week in Minnesota where he was only tested 15 times.

And he was excited to prevail in the battle between two young puck-stoppers.

"I think it's awesome," Hellebuyck said. "I think any time young guys get in, they get to kind of show themselves and prove they belong there.

"I think he's a good goalie and I have no doubts that he does belong here."

The Jets host the Washington Capitals on Saturday afternoon, and Jets head coach Paul Maurice might lean toward playing Hellebuyck over Michael Hutchinson, who has struggled at times.

Scheifele said he likes the calmness Hellebuyck displays.

"He doesn't get scrambly, he doesn't get rattled very easily," said Scheifele. "I think that's a big thing in a young goaltender -- that he's able to not crack under that pressure. He's been awesome for us and you know he's going to be a pretty special goalie."

Toronto center Nick Spaling's goal off a scramble that would have cut the lead to 4-2 in the third period was overturned on a coach's challenge because of goaltender interference.

NOTES: Leafs LW Joffrey Lupul was placed on injured reserve Tuesday with a lower-body injury after being scratched Monday against the visiting Edmonton Oilers. LW Rich Clune was called up from the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies but was a healthy scratch in Winnipeg. ... The Jets had a tough November schedule, with 10 road games and only four games on home ice. The team went 4-9-1. ... Leafs RW Michael Grabner had three productive seasons with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL from 2006 to 2010, collecting 120 points (68 goals, 52 assists) in 180 games. ... Jets RW Joel Armia was recalled from the Moose on Nov. 23 but has been a healthy scratch for five straight games. He was acquired from Buffalo last season in the deal that sent LW Evander Kane to the Sabres.