Four goals from David Gushee helped Gorham overcome a huge deficit Saturday to defeat South Portland, 7-5, at the USM Ice Arena.
Down 5-2 early in the third period, the Rams went on a five-goal tear to remain unbeaten.
“This game really showed what kind of team we are,” said Gorham coach Eric Wales.
The action started quickly when South Portland’s Nicholas Griffin won the opening face-off, skated into his opponents’ zone and fired a wrist shot past Rams goalie Brendan Foley.
The 1-0 score stood for much of the first period as both Foley and Riots goalie Matt Michaud turned away shot after shot. But with a minute and a half to play, Gushee grabbed the puck behind the net, skated around the back side and flipped it into the cage.
“The first period wasn’t very good for us,” said the Rams’ freshman, who was disappointed with his team’s difficulties putting the puck in the net despite a dozen shots on goal.
A minute and a half into the second period, Gushee took a pass from his goaltender, skated up the ice and fired a shot that rippled the twine for his second score. The lead lasted all of 33 seconds, as Dusty Mathews tied the contest with a goal of his own.
The Riots reclaimed the lead when Tim Clark fired a wrist shot, and a minute later Jason Battle added another to give South Portland a two-goal lead, 4-2.
In the middle period Gorham had a scoring attempt disallowed for a second time, as the officials ruled that the whistle had blown before the shot. The game also took a turn toward the physical, as both teams began checking harder and picking up the intensity.
South Portland came out in the final period looking to put the game away and end the Rams’ seven-game win streak. Clark’s second goal, giving his squad a three-goal lead, seemed to be enough to do that.
“I just tried to work hard, do my best and keep my team in the game,” Clark said.
Gorham, however, had no plans to pack it in.
“During the intermission, coach asked us for four goals,” Gushee said, “because that’s what it would take.”
Just 40 seconds after Clark’s goal, Gushee completed his hat trick to cut the deficit to two. Two minutes later, Alexander Dahms scored to make the score 5-4, and then Gushee gathered his fourth tally and the game was tied.
“There was a momentum shift,” said Riots coach Bart Keinath, “and we just couldn’t get it back,”
With about four minutes to play, Matt Caldwell notched the gamewinner to complete the comeback, and not long after that Dahms scored his second goal of the night.
Gorham head coach Eric Wales described his team’s performance as “two very poor periods followed by one really good period.”
“It was one of the toughest games we’ve played,” said Keinath.
Including Monday’s 4-0 victory over Deering, Gorham is now 9-0 and will host Massabesic (0-5-1) Saturday.
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