Devils Pull Off Remarkable 3rd-Period Comeback Victory | GAME STORY

NEWARK, NJ - The Devils scored three goals in the third period, including the game-winner with 21.5 seconds left in regulation, to complete a 5-4 comeback victory against the New York Islanders Tuesday night at Prudential Center.

"That's a big-time win, especially against a team that's ahead of us in the division," Jack Hughes said. "For us to come back and get that in regulation, we would take the points anyway we could, but that's a pretty gutsy win out of us."

“You believed once we got the third one, we were going to get the fourth one," Lindy Ruff said. "Whether we got the fifth one in regulation or whether we got the fifth one in overtime, we’ve won a lot of games like that. I’d prefer to have the lead and not have to go that route. But give the group the credit for battling back.”

The Devils had trailed 4-2 entering the final period. Goals by Jack Hughes (5:08) and Nico Hischier (11:10) tied the game before Curtis Lazar won it for New Jersey in the final seconds.

Michael McLeod and Dawson Mercer also scored for New Jersey. Hughes finished with a goal, two assists and three points.

Bo Horvat, Mat Barzal, Cal Clutterbuck and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for the Islanders.

Here are some observations from the game:

• The Devils were down bad thanks to a broken play of sorts. In his own defensive zone, Barzal lost his edge and his momentum carried him into the neutral zone. When he got to his feet, instead of skating back into the D zone, he banged his stick calling for the puck. When the Islanders gained possession, Anders Lee found him for a breakaway. Barzal stick handled slowly with all the time in the world and then went seven-hole on Vitek Vanecek. The was the start of an onslaught.

• The Islanders blew this game open with three goals in a 3:41-minute span in the second period. The three quick strikes iced the game, and also chased goaltender Vanecek from the net. He was pulled in favor of Akira Schmid. Vanecek finished the night with 14 saves on 18 shots. But Schmid would solidify the crease, stopping all 10 shots against.

• Dawson Mercer had himself a heck of a game at both ends of the ice. He scored his fifth goal of the season after a great defensive effort. Mercer used his speed through the neutral zone to catch up to an Islanders 2-on-1 to make it a 2-on-2. Mercer even lost his stick on the play. He then went the other way with Hughes for a 2-on-1. Jack found Mercer and he went bar down with the shot.

Mercer then set up Hughes’ third-period goal to return the favor with a gorgeous no-look cross-ice pass from tape-to-tape. A tremendous showing from him.

"Last game was our first game playing together as a line," Hughes said of his line with Mercer and Tyler Toffoli. "The three of us have never even practiced together. I think we're finding our groove."

• McLeod picked up his fourth goal of the season and did it with a nice head fake. McLeod carried the puck into the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 with Alexander Holtz. McLeod had his eyes on Holtz before whipping a shot on goal that beat goalie Ilya Sorokin with a perfect shot through the seven-hole.

"I was thinking pass, but it was taken away," McLeod said. "So, I just shot it low glove."

• The Devils played the third period without defenseman Dougie Hamilton. He was out with an upper-body injury.

• Jack Hughes' shots in the past five games since returning from an upper-body injury: 8, 1, 8, 5, 9. Hughes has not been shy about shooting the puck lately. And that's a good thing.

• Hischier has two goals in two games since missing 11 with an upper-body injury.