FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno Falcons (10-3-4, 24 points) defenseman Matt O’Dette tallied two points, including the second period’s game-winning goal to send the Stockton Thunder (4-8-2, 10 points) to a 4-1 loss to Fresno, in front of 3,575 at Save Mart Center on Saturday night.

The loss is the Thunder’s fourth in a row. O’Dette and former Atlantic City Boardwalk Bully J.F. Plourde combined for four points, while Brett Jaeger stopped 25 shots for the Falcons. Thunder goaltender Jeff Weber made 27 saves.

Plourde put Fresno out front 1-0 with 8:10 gone in the first period, whacking in a rebound from an attempted wrap-around on the left side of the crease.

Steve Slonina’s power play marker tied the game for Stockton at 1-1 with 4:19 elapsed into the second, jamming in a long rebound from Geno Parrish’s misfired point-shot. Slonina’s goal keeps a Thunder streak alive with a power play goal in 14 straight games.

O’Dette then tipped in a Peter Fregoe centering pass at the 6:59 mark, vaulting Fresno in front for good at 2-1 with a power play goal. Fresno struck again on the power play to go up 3-1 with 9:01 gone in the third period, on Cory Murphy’s one-timer from the right circle.

Kelsey Muench then added an empty-net goal with seven seconds left, tossing in a 180-foot clearing attempt from Fresno’s own defensive zone.

In what was the third of nine meetings between both teams, the late stages of the game took an extremely physical complexion, with the Thunder and Fresno combining for 72 penalty minutes in the game.

Now a week away from its much-anticipated inaugural home opener at Stockton Arena, the Thunder rests until Friday, December 9 when Stockton meets the Bakersfield Condors at Rabobank Arena for a 7pm (PT) faceoff. The game can be heard live on the internet (free-of-charge) and is available for viewing at a $6 “pay-per-view” fare at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B-2 Networks.

Thunder season tickets, individual tickets, and mini packages are on-sale now. Individual tickets can be purchased in-person at Stockton Arena’s Box Office, online at www.stocktontickets.com, or by phone at (209) 373-1700. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit www.stocktonthunder.com.

SCORE BY PERIODS
Stockton 0 1 0--1
Fresno 1 1 2--4

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Fresno-Plourde 6 (VanBallegooie; Fregoe) 8:10.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Stockton-Slonina 8 (power play) (Parrish; Martz) 4:19. 3, Fresno-O'Dette 1 (game winner) (power play) (Fregoe; Curtin) 6:59.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Fresno-Murphy 3 (power play) (Plourde; O'Dette) 9:01. 5, Fresno-Muench 2 (empty net) (unassisted) 19:53.

SHOTS ON GOAL
Stockton 9 8 9--26
Fresno 15 8 8--31

Power Play Conversions: Stockton - 1 of 10, Fresno - 2 of 11.

Goalies: Stockton-Weber (30 shots, 27 saves; record: 2-4-2). Fresno- Jaeger (26 shots, 25 saves; record: 8-2-3).

A: 3575. Referee: Nissen. Linesmen: Burkart; Digby.