Overtime heartbreak for Leafs

A quick peek at the plus-minus column on last night's Leafs game sheet told an intriguing story.

The line of Mikhail Grabovski, Niklas Hagman and Nikolai Kulemin each registered plus-2. Everyone else wearing a Leafs jersey was either even or minus-1.

Indeed, Grabovski's line was magical against the Carolina Hurricanes, accounting for three of the Leafs' four goals, and triggering another comeback that seems to be part of the Leafs' script for success so far this season.

The line, though, couldn't steal the show, or the win. That went to the Hurricanes, thanks in large part to the faulty defensive play by the rest of the Leafs in a 5-4 verdict in overtime at the Air Canada Centre.

"We talked about it in the first period (intermission)," Hagman said of the Leafs' unacceptable defensive effort, which saw them fall behind 3-0 and 4-1 in the first period. "It's going to be a long season (if the team has to repeatedly come from behind to win)."

The Leafs have come from behind to tie or win games on six occasions this season, but last night's comeback script was ruined when Niclas Wallin's slapshot sailed past a screened Vesa Toskala into the net at 1:52 of the extra period.

Toronto blew a two-man advantage that lasted 1:13 in the third, and Toskala, in allowing five goals on 24 shots, could have helped matters a bit more despite the fact his team abandoned him on too many occasions.

But the excitement generated so far by Leaf comebacks helped the home side gain a point in a game it should have lost.

"In Dallas last year, we came back quite a bit and I hope I can bring some of that here for this team," said Hagman, a 27-goal scorer with the Stars last season.

Watching Hagman this year has been a treat for Leaf fans. He's gone from a free-agent signing who looked like he could help a rebuilding team to arguably the club's best player after 13 games.

Hagman has certainly helped Grabovski, who bagged a pair of goals - one off a gorgeous Hagman setup on the power play. And Kulemin, who was too quick to gel on a line with Nik Antropov earlier this season, has found a place where he can maximize his offensive gifts alongside Hagman and Grabovski.

"I am comfortable here," Grabovski said, referring in part to a mercurial season in Montreal last year. "I like (Hagman). He is fast and he is smart. He is helping me a lot."

Grabovski now has five goals, tops on the Leafs, and is coming into his own after failing to score his first goal for almost a month.

Hagman picked up his fourth goal and added an assist. He now shares the team lead in scoring with Antropov (each with 10 points).

Leafs coach Ron Wilson has long recognized Hagman's abilities.

As head coach in San Jose, he saw large parts of Hagman's 27-goal season last year and wasn't surprised that the impressive tally came with Hagman skating much of the time on the Stars' third line.

"Hagman wasn't miscast in Dallas," Wilson said. "They had that much talent there and the reason we got him is there were only so many players they could keep.

"The reason he isn't there is because they decided to go after Sean Avery.

"Right now that line (Grabovski's) dominates almost every time they're on the ice ... something exciting happens when they're out there," Wilson added. "Now we have to get some of the other guys going again."

The Leafs will practise today, focusing on their defensive play. They've bagged eight goals in the past two games but lost both.

Wilson, though, will also put the power play through its paces, especially in 5-on-3 situations.

"It wasn't the first period that lost us the game, it was the 5-on-3 that cost us the extra point," Wilson said.