SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Portland Pirates nearly overcame a four-goal deficit in the third period but had the potential tying goal waved off after the final buzzer as the Syracuse Crunch held on for a 4-3 victory Saturday night.
The Pirates trailed 4-0 entering the third period but got their first goal when Mike Weber scored a power-play goal with 10:27 remaining.
Philip Gogulla then scored twice in the last three minutes. He cut the deficit to 4-2 with 2:15 left, then scored again with 1:07 remaining to make it a one-goal game.
Portland almost tied it during a goal-mouth scramble in the final seconds, but officials ruled time expired before the puck crossed the goal line.
Brendan Bell scored a pair of goals for Syracuse, and Jared Aulin got the eventual winner with six seconds left in the second period. Nick Holden also had a goal for the Crunch.
Kevin Lalande finished with 31 saves for Syracuse, which was outshot 34-26.
Portland goalie Jhonas Enroth allowed four goals on 18 shots before being replaced after the second period by J.P. Lamoureux, who stopped all eight shots he faced.
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