STOCKTON, Calif. - Right winger J.F. Caudron scored his second straight overtime goal in as many games to lift the Stockton Thunder (7-11-3, 17 points) to a two-game sweep over the Bakersfield Condors in a 3-2 overtime victory, before 5,438 fans at Stockton Arena on Saturday night.

The Thunder, who never trailed in the game and improved to 2-1-0 in the head-to-head series over the first place Condors, were supported by goaltender Bryan Pitton's 26 saves. Pitton's brother, Jason, scored a first period goal and Matt Robinson scored his second goal in as many games for the Thunder.

Andrew Ianiero and Adam Naglich scored for the Condors.

Jason Pitton's fifth goal of the season off a rebound broke the scoreless tie for a 1-0 Thunder lead just 10 minutes into the game, when he cleaned up Kelly Czuy's wrist shot from the left circle and buried a backhander from the top of the crease.

The Condors leveled the score at 1-1 on Ianiero's eighth goal of the year just 22 seconds into the second period, but Robinson helped the Thunder retaliate on a power-play goal at 2:39 to restore Stockton's lead at 2-1. Judd Blackwater fed a backhanded centering pass from behind the net for a Robinson one-timer that beat Timo Pielmeier from between the circles.

Naglich knotted the score at 2-2 with his third goal of the year just 1:34 later, when he set a screen in front of the net and re-directed Eric Regan's slapshot from the left point past Pitton.

Both teams battled through a scoreless tie in the third period and the Thunder, who gained the eventual game-winning power-play with 20 seconds left in regulation, got help from Pitton on a buzzer-beating kick save on Shawn Weller after the Bakersfield forward chased an errant pass at center ice and was stopped on a slapshot from the left circle as time nearly expired.

It took just 35 seconds for Caudron to sink the Condors in overtime for the second straight night. He set up in the slot, took Oren Eizenman's feed from the right corner and found the back of the net on a snap shot through a screen, sending Stockton Arena into pandemonium and the Thunder flying off the bench in celebration.

Pielmeier made 24 saves to help the Condors extend their unbeaten streak (regulation) to a 6-0-2 clip.

NOTES: The Thunder scratched Ryan Constant (injured reserve), Garet Hunt (injured reserve) and Matt O'Dette (injured, day-to-day) ... the Thunder power-play finished 2-for-5 in the game and went 6-of-12 (.500) in the two-game series ... defenseman Justin Dacosta had an assist for his third point in two games with Stockton ... the Thunder improved to 2-1-0 in the head-to-head series with the Condors ... as tempers flared in the third period, Thunder defenseman Jordan Bendfeld and Bakersfield's Adam Naglich dropped the gloves.

The Thunder returns to play next Friday, December 11 against the Alaska Aces at Sullivan Arena, beginning at 8:15 p.m. to start a six-game road trip. The game can be heard on radio at 1420 KSTN and viewed online at www.stocktonthunder.com, courtesy of B2 Networks (audio is free of charge).

The Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, has led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew 223,854 fans to Stockton Arena in 2008-09. Season Tickets for 2009-10 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/.
                                                                                                                     
THREE STARS:  
1. STK - 12 J.F. Caudron
2. STK - 31 Bryan Pitton
3. BAK - 33 Timo Pielmeier

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