Jesper Bratt scored the final tally of a shootout to give the New Jersey Devils a 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday in Newark, N.J.
The Devils are on a three-game winning streak, and erased three Toronto leads before winning in the shootout. New Jersey is 4-0 in shootouts this season and 11-2 in games decided beyond regulation.
Arseny Gritsyuk recorded a goal and an assist for the Devils, and Nico Hischier contributed two assists. Timo Meier and Connor Brown scored the other goals for New Jersey.
Jacob Markstrom stopped 24 of 27 shots in regulation and overtime, plus both shots faced in the shootout. Markstrom’s biggest stop was a brilliant pad save on Nick Robertson in the final minute of regulation.
Matias Maccelli, William Nylander, and Matthew Knies scored for the Maple Leafs, who are on a five-game winless streak (0-3-2).
The Devils outshot the Leafs 47-27, with Anthony Stolarz doing everything he could to keep Toronto in the game. Stolarz saved 44 of 47 shots, marking his fourth-highest save total over his nine NHL seasons.
Maccelli opened the scoring when the forward buried a wrist shot from the slot at 5:26 of the first period. The Devils answered at the 7:55 mark, as Meier converted a one-timer from the circle.
In the final second of a Toronto power play at 3:20 of the second period, Easton Cowan’s long-range shot deflected off Nylander and into the net. New Jersey responded with another quick equalizer when Gritsyuk converted the equalizer 6:06 into the second frame.
At 13:50 of the third period, Knies knocked a loose puck out of the air and into the net to once again put the Leafs ahead.
The Devils outshot the Leafs 14-5 in the third period. The late pressure paid off just under four minutes later when Brown finished a nice passing play for the Devils’ third equalizer of the game.
Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton and Oliver Ekman-Larsson were all held out of Toronto’s lineup. The three players have all been rumored to be on the move prior to Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
