BLOOMINGTON - The Bloomington PrairieThunder staged one big comeback Saturday night at U.S. Cellular Coliseum. | Photo gallery

A second proved too much to ask for.

After squandering a 3-0 lead, Port Huron bounced back with goals by Brian Felsner and Tab Lardner late in the third period and then held on for a 5-4 International Hockey League victory before a crowd of 3,041.

The sputtering Thunder (5-9-0) struggled again offensively for most of the game while suffering its second home loss in as many nights to Port Huron and sixth defeat in its last seven games overall.

"We have to win these (home) games or at least get a point," said a visibly frustrated Thunder coach Derek Booth. "Go to overtime or something. We can't give away points, and that's what we've done."

It was a different story for the Icehawks (9-8-0), who claimed their third road victory in three days. Port Huron posted a 4-0 win over the Thunder Friday night behind goaltender Larry Sterling.

"We had a good weekend before this game even started," said Port Huron coach Stan Drulia. "This game makes it even better going home with six points. I'm not sure our organization has ever won three games in a row on the road. This is a big step for us."

Bloomington overcame an abysmal opening 30 minutes and tied the game at 3-3 on goals by Jason Ralph, Jeff Ewasko and Sam Ftorek. Ralph's goal snapped a personal seven-game scoreless streak. Ftorek connected with 7 seconds left in the period.

Felsner snapped the tie when he beat Thunder rookie goalie Loic Lacasse on a one-time from the left circle with 6:17 remaining. Lardner followed with his second goal of the game at the 17:05 mark.

With Lacasse pulled for an extra attacker, Don Parsons cut the deficit to 5-4 with 31 seconds to play but it was the Thunder's last gasp.

"When we make mistakes it's in the net," Booth said. "The fourth and fifth goals, both shots were top shelf and it usually doesn't happen like that. It's little things where we're making a defensive mistake and it's costing us a goal.

"The fourth goal when we should have kept it down low we chipped it back up to the winger's side and nobody was there."

Port Huron opened a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Jeff Zehr and Lardner. Kris Vernarsky scored at the 3:20 mark of the second to make it 3-0.

"I think we relaxed a little bit, but this is three in three for us," Drulia said. "I think we sat back a little bit when we got up 3-nothing. They took over from the 10-mintue mark on, kind of like we did yesterday.

"We were fortunate Larry made some big saves for us, and we got some pretty big goals out of Felsner and Lardner."

The Thunder outshot Port Huron 19-12 in the second period and finished with a 33-28 edge overall. Pascal Bedard and Leo Thomas both had two assists for Bloomington. Ewasko's goal was his first of the season.

"The first period we watched," Booth said. "The second period we watched for a little bit and then we turned it on. When we turn it on we're unstoppable."

The Thunder will complete a stretch of four games in five days today with a 3 p.m. matinee at Kalamazoo.