This may be the most important penalty-kill situation the Maineiacs have faced all season.
Lewiston avoided long stretches of injuries for most of the season, but now that the playoffs are approaching, the injury bug may be exacting its revenge. The penalty virus seems to be tagging along.
Last week, Sheldon Wenzel slammed into Cape Breton forward Steve Bernier at center ice at the Colisee while the play was more than 30 feet away. Cape Breton has sent the tape of the game to the league, and Wenzel may face extra time off for the hit, on top of the automatic one-game suspension he received for an infraction on Sunday night in Chicoutimi.
Richard Stehlik, meanwhile, was tossed from the game against Baie-Comeau on Saturday for a retaliatory penalty, and may get a stiffer penalty from the league after it views that video tape.
Jonathan Paiement remains sidelined with an injury he suffered against Cape Breton last week, and Bobby Gates continues to play hurt as part of a very depleted defensive corps.
Add to that two relatively minor injuries to Karl Fournier (slap shot off the toe) and Alexandre Picard (slash across the calf), and the Maineiacs are limping down the stretch.
“I don’t know that we will have Sheldon or Richard back for the rest of the season,” Maineiacs coach Mario Durocher said after the 5-1 loss at Chicoutimi on Sunday. “We will re-evaluate the situation before the game on Tuesday and bring players up that we need to fill holes.”
Tossing Teddy
The Maineiacs are holding a Teddy Bear Toss Friday as part of the final regular season home game. Any fan can bring a teddy bear from home, new or used. When the Maineiacs score their first goal of the night, fans with bears will launch them onto the ice.
Crews at the Colisee will then pick up all of the bears and put them in giant bags and distribute them to local charities.
Similar events at other rinks in Canada have drawn thousands of bears, and it has become common practice for some teams in December.
jpelletier@sunjournal.com
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