That snake finally reared its head Saturday night, as the Mocs erupted for four second-period goals en route to a 5-3 win over Alexandria.

"We got the breaks tonight," Monroe coach Brian Curran said. "We tried to get more traffic to the net and move players. We came out sluggish in the first period, but believed we had much more left. It was a little challenge in the second period, but we definitely got the breaks."

The win snapped a season-worst, four-game losing streak. It also ended a five-game home losing streak the Mocs had begun well before the Western Professional Hockey League's All-Star break.

It was also the first time in four games the Mocs had scored more than two goals in a game.

"We needed to work hard to get out of a funk at home," Curran said. "They pushed harder than before and got the breaks. The second goal we got really affected them. Then we came back after they had gotten their power play goal and scored twice and that took the air out of them."

It didn't look promising early on. Alexandria held a 1-0 lead after the first period, thanks to a Matt Turek breakaway goal past Monroe netminder Marten Engren.

The lead held until the second period, when the once dormant Monroe offense suddenly came alive.

Monroe scored four goals in the period. But five different players found the back of the net, helping to end the drought.

"It was a good team effort," Mocs forward Chris Rowland said. "We knew we had to get over the hump here and hopefully we can build on this. Everyone contributed tonight."

After Alexandria left winger Josh Dobbyn beat Engren topself, the Mocs got two quick goals to knot the game 2-2.

Forward Jayme Adduono, who was signed to a five-game tryout before the game, took a long pass from Russ Parent, skated in on Warthog goalie Sean Basilio and went topself for a 2-1 Alexandria edge.

Less than two minutes later, Kelvin Solari did the same thing. He took a long pass along the boards from Jami Yoder, skated in on Basilio and also went topself for a 2-2 score.

"Adduono's goal was a great pass from Russ (Parent) and a great individual effort from Adduono," Rowland said. "Then there was another good pass down to Kelvin and he buried it and we took it from there."

Solari's goal came after a controversial no-call by the officials. Alexandria winger Chris Peach was pulled down from behind, and the Warthogs expected a penalty.

None came, and Solari took advantage of the Warthogs stopping play to score.

"Their whole team went on a line change figuring there would be a penalty," Curran said. "We went in and got a goal when they let up."

Just as quickly as momentum had swung to the Mocs, Alexandria took it back. On a 4-3 power play, Jay Mazur blasted the puck past Engren to give the Warthogs a 3-2 lead.

The margin held until late in the period, when the Mocs came alive. Monroe scored two goals in less than a minute, keyed by a Dorian Anneck power-play goal.

Anneck took a feed from linemate Darren Dougan and one-timed it past Basilio, re-tying the score. Chris Rowland added a goal that flipped over Basilio's shoulder and trickled into the net, helping Monroe take a 4-3 lead into the second intermission.

"(Kenny) did a great job keeping the puck in," Rowland said.

"He then did what he is supposed to do, and sent the puck to the net. I got there at the same time and deflected it up. It might have hit the goalie or not, but it had just enough to go over the line."

In the third period, Rowland assisted linemate Ty Hartigan on the fifth goal, the most goals the Mocs have scored since a 6-3 win over New Mexico on Jan. 21.

Then Engren took over. He stopped two point-blank shots on net and stoned the Warthogs for the last 33 minutes of action.

"He responded big in the third period," Curran said. "They had good movement on their power plays and our penalty killing had been good, but we needed some big saves and he got them."