Lewiston has three games in the next four days.
LEWISTON – It’s not do or die, but wins aren’t going to hurt at this point, either.
The Lewiston Maineiacs are heading out on the road again this weekend, and both games are against tough divisional opponents with something to prove.
First stop, Chicoutimi.
The Maineiacs haven’t seen the Sagueneens since a two-game set in December. In that time, Chicoutimi posted a 14-game home winning streak and vaulted to the top of the Eastern Division standings.
“This will be a good test for us for sure,” Lewiston coach Mario Durocher said. “We have to stay focused on them. They are one of the best teams in the league right now.”
They are one of the best teams at home for sure, but there is one quirk about the Sagueneens’ ice surface that may indeed favor the Maineiacs more than the home team – size.
“The ice surface is larger there, and that helps with our team speed,” Durocher said. “The last two practices, we did a lot with one-on-one matchups in a five-on-five situation, and then (Wednesday) we worked a lot on the power play and PK. If we skate hard at Chicoutimi, there should be no problems.”
One area where the Maineiacs have had problems is between the pipes.
Matt Davis has struggled lately, and has been pulled from his last two starts after giving up four early goals to Gatineau and three more early tallies to Shawinigan. Brandon Verge has been much more solid, but he will not play this weekend due to an injury, meaning Maxime Joyal will be recalled to back Davis up. With three games in four nights, it is likely that Joyal will see time.
Chicoutimi, meanwhile, has one of the best goalies in the league in Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers (2.99 GAA, .913 saves-percentage).
On Friday, the Maineiacs will play Quebec for the third time in eight days, having tied and lost in their previous two. In all, Lewiston has just one win against the Remparts this season against three losses and two ties. Quebec is currently in fourth place in the division, nine points behind the Maineiacs. Lewiston does have two games in hand on everyone else in the division.
“They play a trap style that always seems to give us trouble,” Durocher said. “With them we always have to finish our checks and be aware when (Josh) Hennessy is on the ice.”
Hennessy is currently tied for third in the league in scoring with 70 points.
Lewiston returns home to play Shawinigan on Sunday, kicking off a six-game homestand.
Comments are no longer available on this story