Positives from OT loss

For the Toronto Maple Leafs, it's all about silver linings.

So when you lose a game -- one they seemingly had in hand, holding a 3-1 lead at 9:08 of the third period -- you first try to digest the reality that you gave away an important point at night's end, then you grasp for what you did right.

For the Leafs, that was a tough assignment.

True enough they lost a game they should have won in Carolina Thursday night, but when the dust settled, they got a road point. Who knows if the point they blew will be the difference between the Leafs making the playoffs or the point they blew will be the one that put the final nail in the coffin?

This much we know, on a night when the team's leading scorer, Phil Kessel, failed to register a shot on goal for the first time in 47 games, Nazem Kadri scored his third goal in four games since being recalled from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League as he continues to make a case to stay in the NHL.

The Leafs looked rather lackadaisical in the first period, but picked up a little steam in the second and appeared to be on the right path to victory.

Kadri, who has had an up and down season -- literally -- was easily Toronto's best player on the night. He suffered a knee injury in pre-season and when he regained his health, he was assigned to the Marlies. Chances are he would have been ticketed to the minors regardless. However, before Kadri could play a game with the Marlies, he was called back up and got into two games, during which time he was held pointless.

Upon being sent down again, when the Leafs' injured players returned, he made the most of his opportunity to take on a key role with the Marlies by scoring eight goals and 22 points in 22 games. He was the AHL player of the month in October.

It should be noted when the Leafs ran into injury problems again, it wasn't an automatic that Kadri would be the forward to get the call. That's because fellow centre, Joe Colborne, who had a nine-game stint with the Leafs earlier this year during which time he scored a goal and four points, has also played well with the Marlies. He has 11 goals and 23 points in 22 games. At 6-foot-5 and 213 pounds, he has a physical edge over the 6-foot, 188-pound Kadri, but in this instance the Leafs opted for Kadri.

The 21-year-old London, Ont., native has taken advantage of his most recent opportunity by scoring in three of four games. Kadri was particularly noticeable in the first period as a set-up man when he made pinpoint passes to Mikhail Grabovski and Tim Connolly on plays that should have resulted in goals. Neither did.

With the Leafs trailing 1-0 courtesy of a Brandon Sutter goal at 4:15 of the first period following a Cody Franson giveaway, Kadri tied it with a wonderful wrap-around play. There are still areas of his game that need to be addressed as he tries to become a full-time NHLer, such as his bad habit of coasting while in control of the puck which often leads to turnovers, but nobody can deny his hands are NHL vintage.

On this night, however, coach Ron Wilson had praise for both he and fellow call-up Darryl Boyce, who had an assist and showed a very aggressive side as he tries to wrestle a spot on the team away from injured centre Philippe Dupuis.

"Nazem had another really good game and Darryl was always kind of an irritant," Wilson said. "He was going to the net hard and drawing a lot of attention."

Wilson, who just secured a contract extension Christmas day, pointed a little blame in his own direction. His team took a 3-1 lead in the third period, but surrendered a goal 40 seconds later that drew the Hurricanes within one.

"In hindsight I should have called a time out right there, but you don't and you expect to get the job done," Wilson said.

That was a goal by Zac Dalpe -- his first of the season -- that ultimately sent the game to overtime.

In overtime, Toronto took a penalty which pitted the NHL's worst power play against the worst penalty-killing team. Eric Staal, who has not played well this season, decided it with his second of the night on a slap shot beating James Reimer.

"That's a puck you have to stop," Wilson said. "But we didn't. At least we got a point, but I'm not happy. I'm disappointed in the way, once we got the lead, our mental approach wasn't right."

The Leafs will now turn their attention to a New Year's Eve game in Winnipeg. Having lost two straight on the road and with their playoff chances moving in the wrong direction, gaining a point in a game they should have won and having a first-round draft pick who has yet to make his mark enjoy a good game might be nice. But it's not enough.

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy will cover the Toronto Maple Leafs for sportsnet.ca for the 2011/12 season.