WHITEFISH — Two disjointed periods marred by penalties gave way to a free-flowing third and the Glacier Nationals emerged with a 7-6 win over the Bellingham Blazers Friday at Stumptown Ice Den.

The Nationals scored four goals in the final period, including three in a three-minute stretch, to seal a comeback victory. The win put them into a three-way tie for third place in the NORPAC standings with Bellingham and the Tri-Cities Outlaws. Both teams have 25 points, but Glacier, having played nine fewer league games, has the NORPAC’s second best win percentage.

Trailing 5-3 after two periods, Glacier (12-4-1 NORPAC, 13-12-1 overall) scored three goals within the first 3 minutes and 12 seconds of the third period to take its first lead of the game. Nationals forward Austin Givens evened the score at 5 after one-timing a pass from Tucker Spooner past the glove of Blazers goaltender Robert MacDonald. Defenseman Kyle Watne gave the Nationals the lead 55 seconds later with a wrist shot just inside the blue line that snuck between MacDonald’s legs.

Bellingham right winger Cody Rich knotted the score two minutes later before Spooner provided the game-winner, picking up a loose puck outside the crease and scoring with a low backhand shot to the short side.

“It was just not giving up on the play,” Spooner said. “Just going hard and trying to take advantage of opportunities.”

Spooner, Watne and Givens finished with two goals apiece.

Rich, the fourth-leading scorer in the NORPAC, led Bellingham (12-13-1 NORPAC) with three goals and two assists, and was a disruptive force throughout the game.

“He has a really quick shot and finds the open ice really well,” Watne said of Rich.

While the Nationals had a hard time containing Bellingham’s leading scorer, they were effective on the penalty kill, killing seven of nine Blazers power plays, including a two-minute 5-on-3 in the second period.

Glacier hadn’t played since Dec. 22, but Watne said the nearly three-week holiday break wasn’t much of a factor in Friday’s game.

“We all thought it was going to be tough to get back into the swing of things,” he said. “But we had a really good week of practice and came in knowing this is really our playoff run right now. Every game from here on out counts.”

Despite spending much of the first period shorthanded, Glacier trailed by just one goal after the opening frame. Rich opened the scoring with a power-play goal less than a minute into the game, but Glacier’s Chris Cutshall provided an answer less than three minutes later, scoring on a 2-on-1 rush shortly after leaving the penalty box. Mason Wade regained the lead for Bellingham before Spooner forced another tie.

Rich scored his second goal with 6:15 remaining in the period and the Blazers hung onto a 3-2 lead going into the first intermission.

Glacier’s undisciplined play caught up to it in the second period when Jaime Velasquez scored during a five-minute major penalty against Adam Dalton for grabbing an opponent’s facemask. Dalton also received a game misconduct.

Derek Davis put the Blazers ahead 5-2 just as the five-minute major expired.

Glacier continued its parade to the penalty box as defensemen Travis Redman and Jordan Carter each took minor penalties but Glacier goaltender Mitch Tyson kicked away a shot from Bellingham’s Scott Hansen to keep the Blazers from extending their lead.

Watne gave Glacier some momentum toward the end of the period, scoring on a shorthanded shot from the point with 1:28 left in the second and the Nationals emerged from the locker room a changed team in the third.

They took just one penalty after the second intermission and created chance after chance, finishing the period with 24 shots and four goals.

“We just got some momentum,” Spooner said of the third period. “That first goal got us all excited. We pumped each other up and played solid top to bottom.”

Glacier finished with a 46-28 edge in shots on goal. Tyson made 22 saves.

The Nationals will look to complete a season sweep of Bellingham when it hosts the Blazers again today at 7:35 p.m. Glacier defeated Bellingham 7-5 and 2-1 earlier this season in Bellingham.

Bellingham321—6

Glacier214—7

Scoring summary

First period

Bel - PP Cody Rich (assist Mason Wade, Adam Papayoanou), 0:54

Gla - Chris Cutshall (Colin Plitt), 3:45

Bel - Wade (Rich, Bryce Kenning), 4:52

Gla - Tucker Spooner (Sebastian Adnell), 11:51

Bel - Rich, 13:45

Second period

Bel - PP Jaime Velasquez (Kenning), 7:14

Bel - Derek Davis (Wade, Rich), 7:48

Gla - SH Kyle Watne (Cutshall, Daniel Roe), 18:32

Third period

Gla - Austin Givens (Jordan Carter), 1:06

Gla - Givens (Spooner), 2:17

Gla - PP Watne (Roe), 3:12

Bel - Rich (Wade), 5:11

Gla - Spooner, 11:38

Team statistics

Shots on goal - Bellingham 28, Glacier 48. Saves - Bellingham 41, Glacier 22 (Mitch Tyson). Power plays - Bellingham 2-9, Glacier 0-4. Penalty minutes - Bellingham 28, Glacier 51.