LEWISTON – Tonight’s home game against Baie-Comeau will be the Lewiston Maineiacs’ first meeting of the season with the Drakkar this season.

If last year’s eight games between the division foes are any indication, things could get a bit rough.

Then again, maybe they won’t.

“Honestly, the teams are both so different than they were last year, who knows what’s going to happen,” said Lewiston forward Sheldon Wenzel.

Wenzel and many fans will remember well what happened on the Drakkar’s visit to the Colisee, on Dec. 27, 2003, when both teams nearly emptied their benches during a series of brawls on the ice. One Baie-Comeau player was even detained by the police during the game last year, when he mistakenly shoved an officer after getting tossed from the game.

This year, though, the game will likely take on a different tone.

“After that December game last year, we met twice more,” said Maineiacs assistant coach Ed Harding, filling in for head coach Clem Jodoin, who was in Halifax for a meeting. “They were chippy, sure, but nothing like that game. And there might be some guys on both sides that have long memories, but ultimately we want to win the hockey game. We are going to play a physical game, like we always do, and use our team speed.”

Team speed and stingy defense has led the Maineiacs to four straight games without a loss (three wins and a tie), and a four-game home winning streak to start the season. In all, Lewiston has allowed just eight goals in four games at the Colisee, including the first shutout of the season in the league in the home opener against Acadie-Bathurst.

Jaroslav Halak has won three of those games and rookie Jonathan Bernier took the 5-3 win over Val d’Or on Sunday.

“As far as which will start on Wednesday, that decision hasn’t been made yet,” said Harding at Tuesday’s practice. “We are going to have to wait on that one until tomorrow.”

Paiement honored

Jonathan Paiement was honored with the Offensive Player of the Week award by the league.

“I can’t ask for better than that,” said Paiement. “It is good that I can contribute to the offense, but defense still comes first for me.”

“The thing with Jonathan is that he logs so much ice time,” said Harding. “He knows he still has some liabilities, namely his shot and the fact that he loses body position sometimes, but with those two things added to his game, he is going to be one heck of a defenseman.”

Paiement bested teammate Alexandre Picard for the honor. Paiement notched two goals and seven assists in four games for the Maineiacs, and currently leads the team with 19 points through 11 games.

More ice for Gilbert

Since returning from their season-opening road trip, the Lewiston Maineiacs have started to use Auburn’s Colby Gilbert much more. On Sunday against Val d’Or, the Edward Little grad nearly skated regular shifts, and has two assists in his last three games.

“I think with time he’s realizing his role,” said Harding. “He has started to stick his nose in there a little bit and he’s going to need to keep doing that.”

One more back

After Eric Castonguay’s return to the lineup on Sunday, the Maineiacs may welcome another player back on Wednesday in the person of Derek Bailey, sidelined for two weeks due to an arm injury. Marc-Andre Cliche’s test results will return on his upper body injury on Wednesday, while Ryan Murphy, out since getting leveled against Gatineau, remains on the shelf as well.