Central Texas center Chris Johston had a second-period to remember Thursday night.

Johnston recorded a second-period hat trick as the Stampede dropped the Monroe Moccasins for a decisive 5-2 win the Snake Pit.

"I hadn't scored in a while and it's my job to score and make plays," Johnston said. "I also have to give a lot of credit to (left winger) Brad Baber, who made two really excellent plays. I was open two times and some nights they go and some nights they don't.

Johnston began his scoring spree early in the period. After already having a chance on goal during a 2-on-1, Johnston broke a scoreless tie 2:55 into the second period.

He sent a puck through Mocs goalie Clint Owen's five hole and into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.

Then the Mocs defense, which has had its lapses in spots over the past few games, had a breakdown. Stampede center Mike Dick rifled a shot in on goal as the Mocs had their backs turned to the play.

The puck trickled past Owen and into the net to put Central Texas up 2-0.

"The first period was pretty decent," Mocs coach Brian Curran said. "We had chances, but their goalie played well.

"In the second period we were a little lackadaiscal. It's not that they outplayed us, but the first goal was a bad goal and again we had defensive breakdowns where the players didn't play the system."

But the Mocs weren't out of it yet, as Monroe center Matt Cressman won a face-off and sent the puck to defenseman Russ Parent. Parent smacked a shot past Stampede goalie Jason Carey to cut the lead to 2-1.

Then Johnston came up big.

He recorded his second goal on a beautiful feed from Baber. Baber was smashed on the play by Monroe defenseman Jason Smith, but not before he got the puck to Johnston, who went in and scored past Owen.

His second goal came just seconds after the Mocs had halved the deficit, and it gave the Stampede control at 3-1.

"As a coach that's what you want," Central Texas coach Todd Lalonde said. "We were blessed to get that goal and it was a huge tide turner. After they scored, we scored right back and that turned it."

Johnston's third goal was a gift.

He took a pass, while sitting right in front of the net, and went top shelf past Owen.

The Monroe defense turned the puck over behind its own net and Barber ended up with it. Barber then sent the puck to a wide-open Johnston, who tallied his third goal of the period.

"On the second goal, Baber made a great play in front and I went backdoor," Johnston said. "The third goal he stole the puck and got it to me in front and you can't ask for more than that. It was a highlight reel goal."

In the third period the Mocs again cut into the deficit, as Dorian Anneck tallied his fifth goal.

But a late power-play goal by the Stampede shut the door on the Mocs as Owen suffered his first loss of the season.