By TOM CANAVAN AP Sports Writer
NEWARK, N.J. — The Kings were less than one minute from an impressive road win before suffering their second one-goal loss in three nights.
Red-hot Dawson Mercer scored his second goal of the game 2:30 into overtime and the New Jersey Devils rallied late to beat the Kings, 4-3, on Thursday night.
Tomas Tatar and Nico Hischier also scored for the Devils, with Hischier netting the tying goal with 38 seconds left in regulation. Vitek Vanecek had 19 saves.
Anze Kopitar, Viktor Arvidsson and defenseman Sean Durzi scored for the Kings. Pheonix Copley made 27 saves.
Mercer, who has seven goals in five games, tipped a shot by Dougie Hamilton past Copley for the game-winner.
Hischier tied it when he tipped Jack Hughes’ shot past Copley with the Devils’ net empty.
“We’ll take the one (point) we got,” said Kings coach Todd McLellan, whose team dropped a 2-1 decision in Minnesota on Tuesday night. “There’s not a lot of teams that come into this building or play against that team that leave with points. On the other side of it, it is disappointing that we couldn’t get the last 30 seconds done.”
Of the Devils’ 38 wins, an NHL-high 21 have come after trailing. Seven have been in games when New Jersey was behind by multiple goals. Chicago has also won seven times when trailing by more than one.
“I think obviously you can say we’re never out of it,” said Mercer, who has seven goals during his career-high five-game goal streak. “We’ve got a talented group in here, a team that plays with that speed, and we’re never out of a game. I think we can create constant pressure.”
The Devils are 9-3 in games decided during the 3-on-3 overtime.
“Their speed can kill people 5-on-5,” McLellan said. “So imagine taking two players off the ice surface. They’re extremely skilled and talented and their offensive players may not be the biggest guys, but they can slither and slide off checks and change pace and escape….
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