AUBURN — The Twin City Thunder climbed out of a three-goal first-period deficit, but it wasn’t quite enough Monday afternoon.

The South Shore Kings defeated the Thunder 4-3 in a shootout in a USPHL National Collegiate Development Conference North Division game at Norway Savings Bank Arena.

“The 3-0 (deficit), it was a bounce here, a bounce there, it wasn’t like we were getting outplayed,” Thunder coach Dan Hodge said. “We kept that in mind, and I thought we outplayed them the final two periods.

After the Thunder (18-15-5, 41 points) controlled the first seven minutes of the first period, forward Carter Schram took a tripping penalty that put the Kings on the power play.

Quinnipiac University-bound Timothy Heinke ripped a shot from just above the right circle to give South Shore (22-12-3, 47 points) a 1-0 lead 8:29 into the first period.

“We have been working a lot on the power play; it has been struggling throughout the year,” Heineke said. “But we are to a point we have a few stable guys and we know how each other works.”

The Kings carried the momentum for the rest of the first period. Kai Shen deflected a shot by Ben Ritter past Thunder goalie Brody Haynes (six saves) with under six minutes remaining the period.

With about a minute remaining in the period, Nolan McDonough crashed the net and scored to stretch South Shore’s lead to 3-0.

“We played well and we got some fortunate bounces going to the right areas (of the ice),” Kings coach Drew Omicioli said. “(A good deflection by Shen (on the second goal), and with McDonough charging the net and he gets a nice rebound goal.”

Twin City made a goaltending switch for the second period, replacing Haynes with Dane Couture (20 saves).

The Thunder gained the momentum in the second. They only got one shot on goal during an early power play, but they kept the puck in the offensive zone for most of the period.

Forward Carter Schram had a partial breakaway that missed the net. The Thunder missed a couple of more times in the period.

“The fact is we were working hard and creating opportunities,” Hodge said.

Sam Stitz finally got the Thunder on the board with about five minutes remaining in the second, beating Kings goalie Max Macchioni (34 saves). The next shift, Matt Cole scored to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Dom Chasse had an assist on both goals.

“Whenever you score, it’s great, but when you get two back-to-back like that, it’s great; it gets the momentum going and gets the guys feeling good on the bench,” Hodge said.

Midway through the third period, Cole got control of a loose puck and sent in a shot from the slot for his second goal of the game to tie it at 3-3.

The Kings had an opportunity to retake the lead with six minutes remaining in the third period when the Thunder took two penalties within seconds of each other and gave South Shore a full two-minute, 5-on-3 power play.

“Couture made some huge saves, and that’s big with six minutes left in the game when you are down (5-on-3) against a team with a potent power play,” Hodge said.

Twin City killed the penalties off and had a 5-on-3 power play of its own when the Kings took two delay of game penalties in the final minute of regulation.

South Shore killed them off in the overtime session.

“The focus (at the start of overtime) was our penalty kill,” Omicioli said. “… We’ve had a very good record with 3-on-3; it was tough not having that full five minutes. I think that was a disadvantage for us. The shootouts, we have some creative guys.”

The Kings were 1-for-3 on the power play and the Thunder were 1-for-5.

Both teams had opportunities in the OT. Thunder forward Tristan Rand nearly ended the game 30 seconds left, but his shot rang off the crossbar.

“(Rand) made a nice play, cutting into the (offensive (zone), he kept his feet moving and cut across, wrist shot off the crossbar,” Hodge said.

All three Kings shooters, Heinke, Hanzawa and Gabriel Pelchat scored in the shootout. Caden Smith scored the second round for the Thunder.

The Thunder next go to Foxboro, Massachusetts, for three games at the South Shore Kings Presidents Day Showcase later this week. They play the Connecticut Jr. Rangers on Thursday (12:30 p.m.), Philadelphia Hockey Club on Friday (5 p.m.), and the Rockets Hockey Club on Saturday (10 a.m.).

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