Lewiston begins a three-game swing through the Maritimes tonight in Cape Breton.
Home games haven’t been plentiful for the Lewiston Maineiacs thus far in their inaugural Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season.
There’s a light at the end of that seemingly endless bus ride, however.
Once Lewiston wades through this weekend’s maritime journey, a stretch of three games in four nights against Atlantic Division foes, the Maineiacs will take aim at a seven-game homestand beginning Nov. 21.
First things first, though, and the swing commences with what appears to be the toughest of the three assignments with a stop in Cape Breton to confront the first-place Screaming Eagles.
Lewiston moves on to Halifax on Saturday night and then to Moncton on Monday evening.
“Any swing through the Maritimes is tough because of the travel,” said Lewiston coach Mario Durocher. “We have a day off on Sunday that hopefully will help us.”
The Maineiacs (8-13-1-0) hope to maintain the recent momentum that has vaulted them into a tie with Quebec for fourth place in the Eastern Division. Lewiston is only two points behind third-place Chicoutimi and seven points out of second.
Left wing Alexandre Picard leads the Maineiacs with 18 goals and 28 points. Right wing Gabriel Balasescu (10-15-25) is riding QMJHL Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Centers Alex Bourret (7-12-19) and Mathieu Aubin (7-11-18) as well as offensive-minded defensemen Francis Trudel, Jonathan Paiement and Richard Stehlik have given Lewiston a lift.
Lewiston will need that offense against Cape Breton (18-5-0-1), which is enjoying solid production from every line. Stephen Dixon (7-24-31) and Marc-Andrew Bernier (15-6-21) lead the way.
“We have to make sure we keep playing well in our defensive zone,” Durocher said. “Last time we played Cape Breton, we played them at (Central Maine Civic Center). Going into their building will be hard.”
Halifax has scored only 51 goals and produced nine points in the standings all year, putting the Mooseheads at the bottom of both categories in the QMJHL.
“We know what they have, and we know they are a team we need to beat,” said Durocher.
Moncton could be the most physical game of the weekend. Not only does the battle come at the end of the trip, but the Wildcats (13-8-1-1) are the second-most penalized team in the league.
Mathieu Betournay (8-13-21), Karl Gagne (5-16-21) and Steve Bernier (10-9-19) are the primary offensive threats.
“They are a team that is playing well right now,” Durocher said. “They have a solid group of veterans and just won some big games against (two of the) top teams in the league, Gatineau and Cape Breton.”
Durocher hopes to put his club in the same category by Monday night.
“We are playing two of the best four teams, I think, in the league,” he said. “Cape Breton is a great team, and Moncton is starting to win some big games. Halifax is important, because we need to win games against teams lower than us.”
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