Toronto Comes From Behind To Close Gap On Playoff Spot

(ROCHESTER, NY) - They don't have to be pretty at this time of year, as long as you get the job done.

Andre Deveaux snapped a 16 goalless streak on the power play in the third to cap a two goal comeback, before Greg Scott would score the shootout winner, as the Marlies picked up a 4-3 victory in Rochester on Sunday. It was the first win over their division rivals this season.

Ryan Hamilton and Kyle Calder scored the other Marlies goals, while James Reimer made 24 saves and stopped all five shooters for the victory.

Chris Taylor, Andrew Sweetland and Jeff Taffe had the Rochester goals, while Tyler Plante made 40 saves in the loss.

Taylor opened the scoring in the first period with a shorthanded goal, after Michal Repik sent a puck into the high slot, and Taylor ripped a one time shot through the pads of Reimer. Sweetland added to the lead less than two minutes later, when he redirected a point shot from John Scott Dickson.

The Marlies came out with more pressure in the second period as Hamilton deflected a shot from the corner by Ben Ondrus, in behind Plante to make it 2-1. The Americans answered back with a power play goal by Taffe for a 3-1 lead midway through the period. Toronto kept firing pucks at the net until Calder added a late period goal to make it 3-2. The Marlies held a 14-8 shot advantage in the second period. The Marlies would lose defenceman Jesse Blacker in the period, after he was clipped in the face by an elbow from Carl Hudson. Deveaux dropped the gloves with Hudson and was called for instigating. Blacker, who was also cut on the play, left and did not return.

The Marlies kept pressing in the third period, when Deveaux, who was back on the ice after serving 17 minutes in penalties stemming from the fight, tied the game. Josh Engel worked the puck along the boards and chipped it to Deveaux in the corner, who walked out in front of the net and slid the puck past the leg of Plante.

The Marlies had a several chances in the final moments, including a power play that carried over into the overtime, but could not beat Plante. Toronto out shot Rochester 19-6 in the third, 5-4 in OT and 44-27 overall in the game.

Greg Scot f scored the only goal of the shootout in round 3.

The win pulled the Marlies to within 3 points of the Manitoba Moose and the final playoff spot in the North Division. The Moose have two games in hand, as they'll face the Heat in Abbotsford on Monday and Tuesday night.

Toronto returns to action on Thursday night in Hamilton, before hosting the Moose on Friday night and Saturday afternoon at Ricoh Coliseum.