Jeff Finger's goal with 18 seconds to go in overtime gave the Toronto Marlies a hard-fought 4-3 win over the St. John's IceCaps in American Hockey League play before another full house at Mile One Centre Friday night.
It was the fourth loss in overtime by the IceCaps this season. St. John's drops to 12-4-3-0.
The Marlies' Nazem Kadri was the story of the game, with two goals and two assists.
Kadri helps out
It was Kadri, the highly-touted Toronto Maple Leafs prospect, who did the spadework in the extra session leading to Finger's game-winner.
Josh Engel had the other Toronto goal.
Jason King had a goal and an assist for St. John's. Jason DeSantis and Travis Ramsey netted single markers.
Forces OT
The IceCaps forced the extra session with the only goal of the third period when Ramsey, the big stay-at-home defenceman, ventured into Toronto territory and labelled a shot over Marlies netminder Mark Owuya's shoulder, drawing the 6,287 fans to their feet.
King opened the game's scoring only four and a half minutes after the first faceoff, snapping a wrist shot from just inside the blueline past a surprised Owuya.
Powerplay marker
After Engel drew Toronto even at the 9:35 mark on the power play, DeSantis provided the IceCaps with a powerplay marker of their own, wiring a hard shot from the point at 11:34, eight seconds after Kyle Neuber was sent off for boarding.
It was all Kadri - the ninth overall selection by Toronto in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft - in the second, tying things up at 9:11 and finishing off a nice three-way passing play with Marcel Mueller and veteran Mike Zigomanis with 1:54 left and the Marlies enjoying the man advantage.
The Marlies came into Friday's game with the best penalty kill in the AHL, but the 24th-ranked power play. Toronto limited St. John's to one goal on five power play opportunities, and batted .500 with their own man advantage, going two-for-four.
The teams go at it again 7:30 tonight at Mile One.
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