LEWISTON – At Thursday’s morning practice, Lewiston Maineiacs assistant coach Ed Harding paid the team a compliment.
“One of the reasons we are doing so well lately,” Harding said, “is that we’re working hard down low.”
Coach Clem Jodoin, after Harding finished explaining the drill, also reminded the team that the last time Lewiston faced Baie-Comeau, the final score was 9-2 – in favor of the Drakkar.
“You have to show up and play the game like you’re supposed to play it,” Jodoin said after practice. “It’s that simple.”
A skeleton crew of Maineiacs ran through the drills preparing for Baie-Comeau, which has eight losses in its last 10 games.
“(Baie-Comeau) is competing but they’re going through some rough times,” said Jodoin. “It doesn’t take much sometimes to turn that around, though, to change the momentum. We have that momentum and we would like to keep it up. We need everybody.”
For the Maineiacs, “everybody” might be an impossibility, though.
“Gates is a question mark,” said Jodoin. “(Michal) Korenko had a good practice, but Chad Denny left practice early, so I don’t think he will get to play.”
The defensive corps is particularly thin.
“We had only three on Wednesday,” said Jodoin. “Now we are up three more and back to six. The key is to be healthy. This team needs to be healthy because after Christmas the games are always harder to play, tougher and more intense. Everybody wants to be in the playoffs, everybody wants the home-ice advantage. When you are playing well defensively, you are most likely going to have success offensively, too. It’s all related.”
Many fans associate the Drakkar with the all-out brawl between the two teams on Dec. 27, 2003, but most of the games between Baie-Comeau and Lewiston have been normal, hard-checking games since.
“I wasn’t there in the past, so for me this is different,” said Jodoin. “(The rough game) doesn’t bother me. I just want the teams to play hockey.”
NOTES: Alex Bourret had a goal and an assist Wednesday night in the Top Prospects’ Game in Vancouver, British Columbia. Bourret also delivered two resounding checks, sending one of the recipients to the hospital with a shoulder injury. The game was a way for scouts to see the best prospects in the Canadian Hockey League play in one place. Mathieu Aubin and Chad Denny were also invited to play, but could not for medical reasons. … Jaroslav Halak was named the QMJHL defensive player of the week. In three games, Halak took home three wins, had a goals against average of 1.32 and a save percentage of .960. He allowed four goals in those three games, and made 97 saves. Overall, Halak is unbeaten in four games since returning from the World Junior Tournament. … Several fans have organized a tailgate party in the lower Colisee parking lot prior to Saturday’s game against Baie-Comeau. The parking lot will be open all day for fans to set up, and attendants will collect parking money as they arrive to work.
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