NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — Paul Cotter scored the decisive shootout goal Wednesday night, lifting the New Jersey Devils to a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Prudential Center. The teams traded goals through regulation, tied 1-1 after the first period and 2-2 after the second. Toronto’s Matthew Knies batted in a puck to give the Maple Leafs a 3-2 lead late in the third, but New Jersey’s Connor Brown answered with 8:21 remaining to force overtime and the shootout. New Jersey goaltender Jacob Markstrom earned the win with 24 saves. Nico Hischier had two assists for the Devils, who evened their record at 31-31. Toronto fell to 27-35.

NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — Paul Cotter scored the decisive goal in the fifth round of a shootout Wednesday night, lifting the New Jersey Devils to a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Prudential Center. The Devils erased a third-period deficit to force overtime and ultimately secured the second point in the standings after a back-and-forth contest that saw the teams trade goals through regulation. Jacob Markstrom made 24 saves through overtime and stopped four of five attempts in the shootout to earn the win for New Jersey. Toronto’s Anthony Stolarz turned aside 44 shots in a losing effort as the Maple Leafs fell for the third time in four games. The Devils improved to 31-31, moving back to the .500 mark after a convincing win against Florida a night earlier. The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, dropped to 27-35, continuing a difficult season. The game unfolded with methodical precision, each team answering the other’s score within a period. Toronto struck first when Matias Maccelli collected a loose puck off a cycle and snapped a wrist shot past Markstrom at 5:26 of the opening period. Dakota Joshua and Simon Benoit assisted on the play. New Jersey responded just over two minutes later. On a sustained offensive shift, Timo Meier finished a passing sequence from Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer, beating Stolarz with a wrist shot from the slot to tie the game at 7:55. The Devils took their first lead early in the second period. On a power play resulting from a Toronto cross-checking penalty, Arseny Gritsyuk converted a setup from Jesper Bratt and Hischier, giving New Jersey a 2-1 advantage at 12:06. The Maple Leafs answered on a deflection. With traffic in front, William Nylander got his stick on a point shot from Easton Cowan, with Auston Matthews also earning an assist, to knot the score at 2-2 with 6:20 remaining in the middle frame. Toronto reclaimed the lead late in the third period. With the clock ticking down, Matthew Knies batted a bouncing puck out of mid-air past a scrambling Markstrom, assisted by John Tavares, to put the Maple Leafs ahead 3-2 with just 10 seconds left in regulation. The Devils, however, showed immediate resolve. Off the ensuing faceoff, they pushed forward and Connor Brown tied the game with a wrist shot from the right circle with 8.3 seconds remaining, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Assists went to Gritsyuk and Luke Hughes, forcing overtime. After a scoreless, tense five-minute overtime period that saw chances at both ends, the game proceeded to a shootout. After four rounds, the score remained tied. In the fifth round, Cotter deked to his backhand and lifted the puck over Stolarz’s pad for the winner. Markstrom then sealed the victory by stopping Toronto’s final attempt. Meier led the Devils with a goal, seven shots on net and two hits. Hischier was a catalyst with two assists and five shots, while Brown’s late tying goal was a key moment. Markstrom’s performance in net, particularly in the shootout, was pivotal. For Toronto, Knies and Maccelli provided the offensive punch with a goal each, but the Maple Leafs could not hold the late lead. Stolarz’s 44 saves kept his team in contention throughout the night. The game featured six minor penalties, three per side, with neither power play converting on the night. The Devils held a 47-27 advantage in shots on goal. The Maple Leafs continue their road trip Thursday against the New York Rangers. The Devils are off until Saturday when they host the Rangers.

NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — Two Eastern Conference teams looking to stabilize their seasons will meet when the Toronto Maple Leafs visit the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Wednesday night. The Maple Leafs (27-34-0) arrive struggling, having lost three straight and seven of their last eight games. Their most recent outing was a 3-2 shootout loss to Philadelphia on Monday. Anthony Stolarz, expected to start in goal for Toronto, made 23 saves in that defeat. Stolarz has faced heavy volume recently, seeing 25 shots against the Flyers and 12 in a relief appearance in a 5-2 loss to Ottawa on Feb. 28. New Jersey (29-31-0) snapped a two-game skid with a 3-1 road win over St. Louis on Saturday. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom was pivotal, stopping 25 of 26 shots for the victory. Timo Meier and captain Nico Hischier each scored in the win. The season series is split 1-1. The Devils won 5-2 in Toronto on Oct. 21, but the Maple Leafs responded with a 4-0 shutout victory at home on Dec. 30. Both clubs sit outside the playoff picture as the calendar flips to March, adding urgency to the matchup. The Maple Leafs’ offensive struggles are a central concern, having been held to two or fewer goals in six of their last eight games. William Nylander and Dakota Joshua scored in the loss to Philadelphia and will be relied upon to spark the attack. For New Jersey, consistency remains the challenge. The Devils have alternated wins and losses over their last five games. Following this contest, both teams face a difficult stretch; Toronto visits the Metropolitan Division-leading New York Rangers on Thursday, while New Jersey hosts the Rangers on Saturday. According to National Statistical’s game simulator, the Devils are projected to win 3-1. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.