The Portland Pirates couldn’t hold a two-goal lead as the Connecticut Whale scored three unanswered goals including an overtime goal by Brendan Bell with 1:31 remaining to earn a 3-2 victory before 3,482 at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut.

The Pirates entered the game 4-0-0 when having a two-goal lead.

With 1:11 remaining in regulation, the Whale tied the game on a goal by Jonathan Audy-Marchessault as he lifted a backhander by Pirates’ goaltender Curtis McElhinney after a turnover in the neutral zone.

In OT, defenseman Nick Ross, playing in only his second game of the year, took a hooking penalty less than two minutes into the extra session.

Bell snapped a shot from the right side at 3:29 of the overtime to completing the comeback with only his third goal of the season.

The Pirates had their winning streak snapped at four games, but have earned at least a point in seven of their last 10 contest (6-3-1-0) including their last five games, going 4-0-1.

After a scoreless first period, Portland opened the scoring when Evan Bloodoff scored his first professional goal on the rush, taking a shot from the left circle, beating Cameron Talbot at 8:14 of the second period.

Less than five minutes later, Ashton Rome made it 2-0 when picked up the rebound from a scramble in front, stuffing it by Talbot. Chris Summers and Bloodoff were credited with assists on the play.

The Whale got on the board later in the second period when Blake Parlett fired a shot through a screen past McElhinney, cutting into the Pirates lead, 2-1, with 2:52 remaining.

The Pirates have been unstoppable when holding a lead after forty minutes, going 6-0-0 before former Quebec Remparts’ forward Audy-Marchessault found the back of the net to send the game to overtime.

Portland finished the night 0-for-8 with the man advantage, giving up a shorthanded goal, while the Whale were 1-for-5 on the power play.

Despite suffering the loss, McElhinney played solid, stopping 33 of 36 shots, earning the No. 3 star. Talbot improved to 6-2-0 with a 25-save performance.

NOTES: The Coyotes announced on Tuesday that they signed forward Kyle Turris to a two-year contract. Turris, a restricted free agent, had been holding and at one point his agent requested a trade. Turris will skate with the Coyotes over the weekend and be assigned to Portland on a conditioning assignment according to Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney. It’s unlikely that he will play any games in Portland as the Pirates embark on a six game road trip, starting next Friday with stops in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut and New Hampshire.