Nick Lappin scored shorthanded with 21.0 seconds left in regulation and again on a power play 18:40 into overtime as the Albany Devils snatched a 3-2 win over the Toronto Marlies in Game 3 of the North Division Finals on Sunday evening.
The Devils lead the best-of-seven series, 2-1; Game 4 is Tuesday night in Albany (7 
p.m. ET, LeafsTV, AHL Live).
Lappin, who joined the Devils in March following his senior season at Brown University, redirected a shot from Brian O’Neill that was stopped by Antoine Bibeau, then had two whacks at a rebound before the puck slipped across the line for the game-winning goal.
Albany opened the scoring while shorthanded at 8:33 of the first, as Mike Sislo intercepted a pass and led a two-on-one break with Rod Pelley, who redirected Sislo’s feed past Bibeau. It was the first postseason goal and point of Pelley’s 10-year pro career.
Toronto tied things up at 3:50 of the second period when Josh Leivo collected a loose puck in the right-wing circle and slung a shot on net that squeezed under the pads of Scott Wedgewood for his first goal of the postseason.
William Nylander gave the Marlies a 2-1 lead with 11:30 left in the third period, snapping a shot from top of the right-wing faceoff circle past Wedgewood moments after the expiration of a Toronto power play.
The Marlies appeared headed to victory when Mike Sislo was whistled for a slashing minor with 1:34 to play in regulation, but the Devils got Wedgewood off for an extra attacker and Lappin slammed home a rebound for Albany’s second shorthanded goal of the game at 19:39.
Albany outshot Toronto 12-4 during the OT period and killed off the Marlies’ eighth power play of the game about a minute before winning it.
Wedgewood (5-2) made 25 saves to pick up the win in net for Albany. Bibeau (2-1) stopped 36 of 39 shots for the Marlies.
You must be logged in to post a comment.