If nothing else, the Toronto Maple Leafs are at least getting to experience things they never thought they would see.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending coach Francois Allaire works with goalies Joey MacDonald, left, and Jonas Gustavsson during practice in Toronto, November 24, 2009.

Photograph by : National Post

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Like the 61 shots they fired at the Islanders' Dwayne Roloson on Monday -- Toronto's highest total in more than 30 years -- only to lose 4-3 in overtime.

"I've never seen anything like that where we outshot a team 61 to 20 or whatever it was [61-21]," said forward Wayne Primeau, a veteran of 15 NHL seasons. "Roloson, you've got to give him credit. He stood on his head, we just put everything we could at him."

Toronto's most dangerous player, Phil Kessel, who had one goal from a game-high 12 shots, agreed.

"[It's] not every night some guy's going to stop 60 pucks, that doesn't happen," he said. "[You] just keep shooting, keep working in practice."

The Leafs have spent much of the season trying to ignorethe talk radio crowd make its calls for the head of coach Ron Wilson or another roster makeover by general manager Brian Burke. Those things happen when a team is 4-11-7 and tied for last place in the league with just 15 points.

But despite the depressing numbers, there have been a few hopeful signs of late.

Toronto's overtime loss to the Islanders gave the Leafs points in as many as three straight games for just the second time this season. The Maple Leafs are also taking the play to their opponents for long stretches -- they lead the league with 34.7 shots per game. They have topped 30 shots in each of their last seven games, outshooting their opponents fivetimes.

Unfortunately for Toronto, they were just 23rd in goals per game through Monday.

"I don't have any issues in terms of our effort," Wilson said.

"We've had a few stinkers in there but I think every team in the league plays some bad games now and again.

"Our problem has been our lack of ability to finish the opportunities we create. I think a lot of teams leave playing against us going, 'Wow, we were stuck in our end for a lot of the game,' or, 'We were under pressure a lot of the time. "

Several Leafs suggested part of the problem are brief lulls that cost the team a chance to win.

"Like [Monday] night," said Kessel. "What was it? Like five minutes there they got a couple goals, three goals in five minutes. We came back and fought hard, put ourselves right back in the game."

Toronto's power play has not helped the offence lately. The Leafs are just 1-for-12 with the man advantage in the last three games.

"That's kind of the Dutch boy running around putting my finger in holes as you spring leaks," Wilson said. "It is frustrating that you get that, but we can't stop what we're doing. There's no, 'Okay, we're doing everything wrong.' Averaging 35 shots, we've got to just stick with it and we'll score. I know we will."

jsandler@nationalpost.com