John Mitchell, right, is checked by David Backes in Monday's 4-3 Leafs triumph. John Mitchell, right, is checked by David Backes in Monday's 4-3 Leafs triumph. (Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)

Rookie Luke Schenn and Vesa Toskala vaulted the Toronto Maple Leafs over the visiting St. Louis Blues 4-3 in pre-season action on Monday night.

Schenn, Toronto's top pick (fifth overall) in the June draft, scored the go-ahead goal in the shootout on a nifty backhand deke, and Toskala made it stand up by foiling T.J. Oshie to clinch the win.

"To be honest, I had never shot in a shootout before. It feels good to score," Schenn said.

"He had the great moves in practice," Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson said of Schenn. "I didn't know he was going to be able to pull it off."

Andy McDonald deked Toskala between the pads to stake the Blues to a 1-0 lead in the shootout, but Pavel Kubina scored for the Maple Leafs on a shot that hit the left post and fell into the net behind Manny Legace.

Niklas Hagman, signed July 1 by Toronto to a four-year, $12-million US contract, scored twice in regulation to lead the Maple Leafs (2-2-1).

Alex Steen had the other goal in support of Toskala, who kicked out 28 of 31 shots.

"I saw the puck well tonight," Toskala said.

Former Maple Leafs prospect Brad Boyes, David Backes and McDonald replied for the Blues (2-2-1).

Legace made 27 stops, including a spectacular glove save on Jiri Tlusty with 20 seconds remaining in regulation.

Boyes opens scoring

Boyes opened the scoring 6:06 into the contest as he stripped Alexei Ponikarovsky of the puck at the blue-line and broke in 2-on-1, catching a break when his centring pass struck defenceman Ian White and entered the net.

But Hagman was credited with tying it 1-1 at the 11:10 of the first period as Kubina's slapshot banked off, first, teammate Boyd Devereaux, then Hagman as he jostled for position at the top of the crease.

It remained tied until Oshie fed a perfect pass from the corner into the slot for Backes, who scored on a low shot 6½ minutes into the third period.

Toronto tied it 2-2 on a savvy effort from Steen, who stole the puck from defenceman Barret Jackman and flipped it forward to spring Antropov on a breakaway.

Legace made a splendid blocker save on Antropov, but Steen lifted the rebound over the fallen Blues netminder to make it 2-2 at the 7:55 mark.

Toronto went ahead 3-2 at 10:42 on a smart play by Hagman, who fended off two defencemen behind the net to feed Nikolai Kulemin in the slot.

Kulemin's shot was stopped, but Hagman retrieved the rebound and stickhandled in front to stuff the puck behind Legace.

But McDonald replied in just 64 seconds, converting Lee Stempniak's pass into the crease for his first exhibition goal.

With files from the Canadian Press