ALBANY, N.Y. -- The Albany Devils had no problems shutting down the Toronto Marlies offence to take two of the first three games in their American Hockey League playoff series.
That changed on Tuesday.
Toronto scored four times on the power play and forced Albany starter Scott Wedgewood to the bench with a 7-2 victory in Game 4 that evens their second-round set 2-2.
Nikita Soshnikov had a pair of goals for the Marlies while Mark Arcobello, Kasperi Kapanen, T.J. Brennan, Brendan Leipsic and Connor Brown added the others. William Nylander, Sam Carrick and Connor Carrick eached chipped in with two assists.
Connor Carrick's two points gives him 12 in seven games to lead all AHL skaters in post-season scoring.
Toronto's special teams cost them in Game 3 after going 0 for 8 and allowing two short-handed goals, but was back in sync on Tuesday. The Marlies went 4 for 9 in Game 4 on the power play and killed off all six Albany chances with the man advantage. The Devils penalty kill had been successful on 29-of-30 kills in the playoffs prior to imploding on Tuesday.
Blake Pietela and Graham Black were the only Albany skaters to beat Antoine Bibeau, who finished with 24 saves. Bibeau was given his third straight start in the series after Garret Sparks took the loss in Game 1.
Wedgewood allowed five goals on 17 shots and found himself on the bench to start the third period. Yann Danis took over and allowed Soshnikov to beat him on the first shot he faced. The veteran netminder finished with seven saves on nine shots.
Leafs prospect Travis Dermott, who was selected 34th overall in the 2015 draft, made his pro debut on the Marlies blue line in place of Stuart Percy, who was injured in Game 3.
Albany's Dan Kelly was ejected in the second period after being handed a match penalty for checking to the head.
Kelly made contact with Andreas Johnson as the young Swede was crossing the blue line into Albany's zone after taking a pass from Connor Carrick. Johnson, who was playing in just his second game in North American since joining the Marlies from the Swedish Hockey league, was slow to get up and needed help to the bench. He didn't return.
A match penalty means the AHL will review the play and Kelly could be handed a suspension.
The second period also had a 16-minute delay when Devils forward Ben Thomson went to throw a check on Rich Clune and missed, putting himself through the glass along the sideboards near centre.
Game 5 is Thursday in Albany. The best-of-seven series returns to Toronto for Games 6 and 7.
