The Mid-South Monarchs are officially on the scoreboard. Southaven’s new professional hockey team played the first game in franchise history Friday night, Oct. 9, falling 6-3 to the Monroe Moccasins in Monroe, Louisiana. Forward Austin Weber scored twice, including the first goal the Monarchs have ever recorded, in the Mid-South Monarchs’ first game.
The Monarchs, a Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) expansion team that calls Landers Center in Southaven home, opened their inaugural season with a two-game road series against the Moccasins. The teams meet again Saturday night, Oct. 10, in Monroe, with the Monarchs still looking for their first win.
Mid-South Monarchs First Game: How It Unfolded
The Moccasins jumped out fast in front of their home crowd at the arena known as the Snake Pit. Monroe scored three straight goals in under 10 minutes of the first period, according to the Monarchs’ game recap, with Andrew Bellant and Jared Christy among the scorers.
The Monarchs answered before the first intermission. Weber put the puck in the net to cut the deficit to 3-1 and write his name into the team’s record book as the scorer of the first goal in Mid-South Monarchs history.
Both goaltenders made big stops early in the second period before Monroe’s Jamie Dorsey scored on a two-man advantage to push the lead back to three. Then the Monarchs produced the highlight of the night: two goals in just 14 seconds. Weber scored his second of the game, and Darion Benchich followed when a bad bounce got past Monroe goalie Chris Branch, pulling Mid-South within 4-3 heading into the third period.
Moccasins Pull Away in the Third
Monroe regained control in the final period. Paul Arnott restored the Moccasins’ two-goal cushion, and Bellant sealed the result with an empty-net goal, his second of the night, late in the game.
Final: Monroe Moccasins 6, Mid-South Monarchs 3
Monarchs goals: Austin Weber (2), Darion Benchich
Monarchs goalie: Tommy Nappier, 39 saves on 44 shots
Moccasins goalie: Chris Branch, 23 saves on 26 shots
Monroe outshot Mid-South 44-26, and Nappier kept the Monarchs in the game for long stretches despite the heavy workload.
When the Monarchs Play at Landers Center
DeSoto County fans will have to wait a little longer to see the team in person. After Saturday’s rematch in Monroe and another road weekend Oct. 16-17, the Monarchs host the Baton Rouge Kingfish in their home opener at Landers Center on Friday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. The two teams play again at Landers Center on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 10: at Monroe Moccasins, 7:05 p.m.
Oct. 16-17: road games
Fri., Oct. 23: vs. Baton Rouge Kingfish, Landers Center, 7 p.m. (home opener)
Sat., Oct. 24: vs. Baton Rouge Kingfish, Landers Center, 7 p.m.
Tickets for home games are available through the team’s website, midsouthmonarchs.com, or at the Monarchs’ front office inside Landers Center. The team has also announced free season tickets for youth hockey players across the Mid-South.
