Falcons Win Fifth Straight

December 29, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Fresno Falcons News Release


Fresno, Calif. - The Fresno Falcons improved to 5-0-1 in their last six games, and won their fifth straight game, with a 3-2 win over the Stockton Thunder in front of 5,052 fans at Save Mart Center on Friday.

Brandon Hodge gave Stockton a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal 5:19 into the first period, beating Ryan MacDonald with a wrist shot over the left shoulder.

Luke Curtin pulled the Falcons even with his fifth goal of the season at 10:16. Curtin took a pass from Brett Hammond at the top of the circles, and skated in on goaltender Cam Ellsworth, deking him to the ice, and sliding a shot through the five hole.

The Falcons' power play then went to work, and gave Fresno a 2-1 lead at 13:42. Curtin and Dustin VanBallegooie played catch at the top of the circles, with VanBallegooie blasting a one-timer past Ellsworth for his sixth goal of the season.

Stockton pulled even with its second power-play goal of the game 11:05 into the second period. Tyler Spurgeon was stationed at the top of the Fresno crease and was able to deflect Nathan Martz's shot out of MacDonald's reach.

The Falcons came back with a power-play goal of their own at 16:47 to take a 3-2 lead after two periods. Rob McFeeters had the puck in the left-wing circle of the Thunder zone, and he feathered a pass in front for John Wroblewski who was able to redirect a shot past Ellsworth for his sixth goal of the year.

MacDonald made the lead hold up, as he stopped all seven Thunder shots in the third period to improve to 6-0-1 in his last eight appearances.

The Falcons and Thunder meet again on Saturday at Stockton Arena with face-off set for 7:30 p.m. Catch all of the play-by-play action on 1550 Sporting News Radio, starting with the Port of Subs Pre-Game Show at 7:15.

Fresno returns home on Friday, January 5, hosting the Victoria Salmon Kings at 7:30 p.m. The first 3,000 fans in attendance receive a 2007 Falcons Poster Calendar courtesy of Community Medical Center, Dumont Printing, and B95. Tickets for all Falcons home games can be purchased at the Save Mart Center Box Office, by phone at (559) 485-8497, on-line at www.ticketmaster.com, or at any TicketMaster outlet. All Falcons' games air on 1550 Sporting News Radio starting with the Port of Subs Pre-Game Show 15 minutes prior to face off.



ECHL Stories from December 29, 2006


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