The Winterhawks were down to their last chance: down 3-2, less than three seconds to go, and a faceoff in the Seattle end.

Seconds later, Chris Francis had potted his third goal of the night, the game was headed to overtime, and a packed house at the Rose Garden was going crazy. Francis then capped his incredible night with the winning goal in the shootout as the Winterhawks defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-3 Saturday, an incredible finish to an incredible game.

After a scoreless first period, Seattle opened the scoring with a goal at the 5:55 mark of the second period when Brad Haber found the back of the net to make the score 1-0.

Portland answered back with a goal of its own at 11:13 of the second period when Chris Francis fired the puck past Seattle netminder Calvin Pickard on a power play to even the score at one.

Sena Acolatse retaliated and put the Thunderbirds back on top at 2-1 when he managed to get the puck past Mucha at the 13:32 mark during a Seattle power play. Jeremy Schappert rounded out the scoring in the second period with a goal for the Thunderbirds at 15:46 to make the score 3-1.

Down two heading into the third, the Hawks applied pressure throughout the frame. Portland brought the score to within one at the 7:18 mark of the third period when Luke Walker slid the puck across the crease to Francis for his second goal of the night, setting up the dramatic finish.

With the game on the line, Spencer Bennett tipped the puck to Francis who fired the puck past Pickard for the hat trick, and the game-tying goal, sending the game into overtime.

“Honestly, that play wasn’t even supposed to be for me. We were supposed to win the draw forward. Their center blocked it, it came right to my stick and I just shot it and it went in,” said Francis. “I just looked for a lane and shot it and then all I saw was everyone jumping around. So I thought ok, there it is, and I put my hands in the air.”

During overtime, the Winterhawks had several chances, but were unable to get the puck past Pickard, sending the game into a shootout.

Jonathan Parker scored first to put Seattle ahead during the shootout, but Jacob Berglund replied with a highlight-reel deke to answer right back to tie the score at one apiece. With each team down to its final shooter, Francis approached the puck, skated down the lane and fired the puck past Pickard.

“I did that move last time in a shootout and it worked so I decided to do it again and it was a lot cleaner this time,” said Francis.

Seattle had one last chance, but Kurtis Mucha turned away Charles Wells to seal the win.

Portland took 48 shots to Seattle’s 32 on the night.

The Winterhawks take the ice again Saturday, Nov. 14th, when Kelowna comes to the Memorial Coliseum to take on Portland at 7 p.m.