The Portland Winterhawks staged a big third period comeback but dropped a 5-4 Western Hockey League decision in overtime in Seattle against the Thunderbirds on Saturday.
After Seattle’s Justin Hickman opened the scoring at the 13:51 mark of the first, Portland (18-5-2-1) evened it when Taylor Leier scored a shorthanded goal late in the frame to make it 1-1 going into the second.
It remained tied until there were just under two minutes remaining in the second, when Seattle’s Roberts Lipsbergs and Branden Troock scored late goals to give the Thunderbirds a 3-1 lead.
The Winterhawks started their comeback when Keegan Iverson beat Seattle netminder Justin Myles at the 7:58 mark of the third to get within one at 3-2. Nic Petan evened the game at 3-3 when he scored a power play goal at the 12:02 mark, and the Hawks took their first lead of the game just under two minutes later on a goal by Brendan Leipsic to make it 4-3. Seattle then tied the game at 4-4 at the 16:43 mark on Hickman’s second of the game to force overtime.
