A late flurry of penalties has seen the CD Dodd Perth Thunder succumb 6-3 to the Melbourne Mustangs at O’Brien Icehouse in Melbourne on Saturday night.

Keven Veilleux and Kieren Webster each recorded three-point nights, while Jamie Woodman tallied a goal and an assist, while Nico Viksten stopped 35 of 41 shots in a tough loss.

The Thunder were on the back foot early in the game as the Mustangs fired 15 first-period shots on net to take a deserving 2-0 lead in to the first intermission.

It took a little over five minutes in to the second period for Webster to score his first for the Thunder, and a tremendous cross-crease pass from Veilleux set up Woodman for the tying goal just two minutes later.

The Mustangs managed to pull ahead with a short-handed goal just before the end of the period, and the Thunder had a hill to climb when Jamie Bourke made it 4-2 and the Thunder found themselves killing a penalty.

Villeux responded in the perfect fashion, cutting the lead to one goal with a short-handed tally just moments later, but two late power play goals for the Mustangs sealed the Thunder’s fate, losing a tough contest 6-3.

The Thunder and Mustangs suit up again on Sunday for a return bout at O’Brien Icehouse, with puck drop at midday AWST.