LEWISTON – Brandon Verge is happy now.

Last year, Verge may or may not have been denied a fair chance to prove his worth as a starting goaltender for Lewiston, but he has left little doubt this season after a trade sent him to Chicoutimi.

“It’s definitely been a good chance for me,” said Verge after Friday night’s game in Lewiston. “I get to play on a regular basis this year. I’ve had a few good games and I have taken advantage of that chance.”

One of the biggest differences that Verge sees off the top is the team in front of him.

“It’s definitely a different team,” said Verge. “We’ve had a really good start to the season.”

His number have reflected that change. Through Friday, Verge had a 5-4-2 record with a 2.70 goals-against-average and a .921 save percentage. Last year, in 35 games, Verge was 17-14-1 with a 2.91 GAA and a .891 save percentage in the regular season, and nearly led the Maineiacs to a first-round playoff win after the team fell behind three games to one.

Stat pack, part one

One of the most alarming statistics coming from the Lewiston Maineiacs this season is the ratio of penalty minutes to points for the team’s top three point-getters.

Alexandre Picard, Alex Bourret and Jonathan Paiement, currently with 98 points between them, have also racked up 201 penalty minutes in 69 combined games.

“We are the most penalized team in the league,” said Maineiacs coach Clem Jodoin. “And you can even say we are the most stupid team in the league, too. I am not going to single out anyone on the team, but we could cut it down to half pretty easy. Hockey is easy, really. Pass, shoot, and skate, not hook, slash and trip. Of course we will get hit, but we have to learn to take the hit, take the guy’s number and give it back later. Slashing is not skating, and hooking is not passing.”

Sheldon Wenzel (100 PIMs) and Maxime Mathieu (93 PIMs) currently lead the team, but Paiement (81), Bourret (61) and Picard (59) are not far behind.

Stat pack, part two

Goal-scoring seems to be a positive for the Maineiacs this season. In 24 games, Lewiston has scored 82 goals, good for 3.42 goals per game.

A closer look, though, shows a skewed ratio of goal scoring. Picard, Bourret and Mathieu Aubin have combined for 41 of those 82 goals, exactly half of the team’s goal scoring, leaving many teams with a target – if they stop the top line, they stop the Maineiacs.

“They have three of the best players on one line,” said Chicoutimi coach Richard Martel on Friday. “You have to be able to stop them.”

Jodoin is not worried.

“It’s not a problem as long as everyone plays in their own role,” said Jodoin. “With and without the puck, they have to play in their role. We have goaltenders that can stop the puck, but in my mind, everyone has to raise it up a notch now. Some of the players have their focus somewhere else right now, and that has to change.”

Lewiston is currently tied for the fourth-most goals scored in the league (82) with Moncton, but is just eighth in the league in goals against (72). Rimouski leads the league with 108 goals for, and with 102 against.