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News by "The News-Star" Monroe, Louisiana
Tupelo held off Monroe in the third period to take a 4-2 Western Professional Hockey League victory in Tupelo.
Tupelo has now won 10 straight games, which is two short of the WPHL record set last year by Shreveport.
Monroe falls to 36-21-6 and remains seven points behind first-place Shreveport in the Eastern Division and tied with Lake Charles for second.
Tupelo (29-24-10, which won its first game against the Mocs this season in nine tries, took a 3-1 lead into the third period.
Monroe cut the lead to 3-2 at the 11:24 mark of the third period on Jason Smith's unassisted short-handed goal. But Tupelo scored a power-play goal by Jeff Mercer at 13:30 to regain control after Monroe goalie Marten Engren was assessed a penalty for delay of game.
Bob Brandon staked Tupelo to a 1-0 lead with a goal at the 5:20 mark of the first period.
The t-Rex went ahead 2-0 in the second on Mercer's first goal of the game.
Chris Rowland cut the lead to 2-1 at 8:53 of the second period, but Tupelo went ahead by two at 15:28 on Casey Hungle's goal.
Monroe returns to action Thursday at Corpus Christi.
Extra The Moccasins have added some help in time with the stretch run toward the playoffs with the addition of forward Rob Szatmary.
Szatmary, who was taken off Abilene roster in the dispersal draft when the league discontinued the Waco and Abilene franchises, signed Monday. The 6-4, 220-pound forward was playing with Memphis of the Central Hockey League.
"Rob is the physical presence we have been looking for up front," Mocs coach Brian Curran said. "With Chris Rowland, Rob and Kelvin Solari, I like our physical presence up front."
The Mocs cut forward Doug Altschul to make room for Szatmary.
By Staff Report
