LEWISTON – After a game that Maineiacs coach Clem Jodoin thinks the team could have – and should have – won, the team is heading north, this time on a three-day trip to western Quebec for three games in four days against Rouyn-Noranda, Val d’Or and Gatineau.

“We just have to play better position on the ice,” said Jodoin. “We played hard and with passion in Rimouski, but we were all over the ice. We need to be in control. It was like playing Russian Roulette out there. We’d pull the trigger, you know, and “bang,” they had a chance.”

For the the first two games, the Maineiacs will be without suspended forward Alex Bourret and forward Derek Bailey, still sidelined with an arm injury. Also missing might be forward Marc-Andre Cliche, who suffered an upper body injury in a game against the Oceanic on Sunday.

“The biggest weapon we miss this weekend is Bourret,” said Jodoin. “It takes away a weapon for us to have him sitting out, with the power play, with even strength, with everything.”

Jodoin is hoping that with Bourret out of the lineup, Alexandre Picard will step in and start producing like he did last season.

“It’s not like he hasn’t had the chances,” said Jodoin. “He has been involved in 26 chances, and he by himself has had 13 scoring chances, just none of them have gone in. That’s more than two every game. He should have a goal by now, wouldn’t you think?”

On Friday, the team will return to the site of its last game last season, Rouyn-Noranda. The Huskies won Game 7 of their playoff series against Lewiston, ending the Maineiacs’ season. This year, Rouyn-Noranda is 1-4-0-2, but might have been stricken by a bout of apathy with several players returning from last season, and not many talented rookies to push them.

After an off-day on Saturday, Lewiston will take on Val d’Or before heading south again to Gatineau. The Foreurs are currently 2-6-1-0 through nine games, while the Olympiques have assumed their typical position atop the Western Division at 5-1-1-0 through seven games.