Bill Kostroun / AP

Islanders goalie Wade Dubielewicz, left, celebrates with teammate Jeff Tambellini after New York beat New Jersey in a shootout Sunday to clinch the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Islanders will face Presidents' Trophy winner Buffalo in the first round.

Madden deflected a shot from Jay Pandolfo with 4:13 remaining.

With Clemmensen on the bench for an extra attacker, Madden tied the score with less than one second remaining. Dubielewicz made a sprawling save on Madden’s initial shot but was helpless as Madden backhanded his own rebound into the net.

A video review confirmed that the goal was scored before time expired.

“That was probably the toughest thing I’ve ever had to deal with,” Dubielewicz said. “I just couldn’t believe it. I really couldn’t believe that we were that close. I was pretty confident that we were going to win the game at that point. They just kept plugging away and they were able to get it.”

Both teams had excellent chances to win in the overtime. Dubielewicz stopped Patrik Elias early in the session while Clemmensen stopped Satan in the slot 2½ minutes in.

A postseason berth for the Islanders and Maple Leafs then came down to a shootout.

“If you’re an old-school hockey fan, you’re probably not too excited about the way this finished,” Devils center Scott Gomez said. “If you ask a fan who was here today, I’m sure they would tell you it was incredible.”

The loss ended the Devils four-game winning streak. The Patrick Division winners had no incentive as their playoff position as the second seed in the conference was already assured. The Devils will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round.

Notes: The Devils activated D Richard Matvichuk on Sunday from the long-term injury list. Matvichuk had not played this year because of a combination of a back injury and the Devils inability to squeeze him under the salary cap. The Devils cleared roster space by assigning D Andy Greene and RW Cam Janssen to Lowell (AHL). ... By sitting out, Brodeur fell one game shy of tying Grant Fuhr’s record of 79 appearances by a goalie set in the 1995-96 season with St. Louis. ... The game might have been the Devils final regular-season contest in the Continental Airlines Arena. They hope to complete construction of the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. for the start of next season.

More news

Bruce Bennett / Getty Images

Heading to the finals

Adam Henrique scored off a wild scramble in front at 1:03 into overtime and the New Jersey Devils defeated the New York Rangers 3-2 to advance to their first Stanley Cup finals since 2003.

Frank Franklin Ii / AP

Rangers' gas tank hits empty

  PHT: Blame it on fatigue if you want, but the Devils were just too much for the Rangers. New Jersey had too much talent and boasted too much depth as the Blueshirts found themselves chasing the Devils more often than not in the series.

Headlines

• Label

PHT Extra: Kings will face toughest foe yet

PHT: History doesn't bode well for Kings in finals

PHT: Gretzky says these Kings better than '93 team

PHT: Yzerman shoots down Luongo trade rumors

PHT: Kesler's agent snipes at Vigneault

Highlights: Devils defeat Rangers in Game 5

Unlucky Lundqvist plays worst game of playoffs

PHT: Torts still upbeat  |  'Best game of the series'