With three wins and a tie in their last four games, Lewiston has climbed once again into striking distance in the Eastern Division race. By winning the division, the Maineiacs would be automatically seeded third in the playoffs, and receive a first-round bye.

With two games in hand on both Rimouski and Chicoutimi, Lewiston just five points back of the Oceanique and six behind the Sageuneens. The Maineiacs have two more games against Rimouskii and another against Chicoutimi, but the Maineiacs will have to overcome a sub-par road record down the stretch as well.

This season, the Maineiacs are 9-17-1-1 away from the Central Maine Civic Center, and for their part, Chicoutimi is unbeaten since Thanksgiving in their building. Lewiston plays seven of its last 12 games on the road, oncluding the one game in Chicoutimi, but the Sags have an equally challenging schedule, playing six of their last 10 on the road as well. Rimouski has five games left at home, along with five opn the road.

To Victoriaville

After a successful three-day excursion to Quebec and Shawinigan (with a stop at Quebec’s Winter Carnival mixed in), the Lewiston Maineiacs fans bus is hitting the road again.

The final game of the regular season is in Victoriaville on March 14, and the makeshift booster club is planning another bus trip for Maineiacs’ fans.

The trip would leave on Sunday morning, the day of the game, and return that evening. The trip to Victoriaville is approximately the same distance as that to Quebec, between four and five hours, weather permitting.

According to event organizers, there are between 25 and 30 people already signed up to make the trip.

Player of the week

Olivier Latendresse of the Val d’Or Foreurs has been named this week’s QMJHL Offensive Player ofthe Week. The left-handed center played in three road games last week, racking up two goals and five assists for seven points, giving him a hand in seven of the 13 goals Va’ d’Or scored. The Foreurs are now tied with Drummondville for tenth overall in the league, although the Foreurs have a game in hand.

On the defensive side of things, Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens has been named the Player of the Month. Drouin-Deslauriers played in two of the Sags’ three games over the weekend, posting two one-goal games that both went into overtime. His goals-against average was a 0.97 and his save percentage was .971. Richard Stehlik of the Lewiston Maineiacs was also nominated this month.

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