LEWISTON – Mike Haggett’s Stetson hat looked awkward perched atop a full ski mask, and hamburgers were hard to flip with gloves covering both hands.
But he stood at the far end of the Colisee parking lot anyway, among 50 of the most ardent Lewiston Maineiacs’ fans, flipping meat and conversing with friends.
“It’s time to get behind this team,” said Haggett, who is one of the site moderators on the Maineiacs’ Internet chat site. “The trading period is over and we see now what we have for a team for the rest of the year, and it’s time that we show them that this community is behind them. It’s time that we get together to support them as far as they go this season.”
By 5:15 p.m., almost two hours before Friday’s game, six grills lined the far end of the lot. A box truck pulled in with six people in tow on one end, and out popped a large, silver plated grill.
Another grill just a few cars away shot flames high into the air, giving anyone curious at the other end of the lot an idea that something was happening. Some curious onlookers poked their heads over cars as they got out, most of them still buying tickets to the game.
“I expected that we’d see about 20 or so,” said Haggett. “But this is just a great turnout. It’s great to see. All week we weren’t sure, with the cold and the wind and the storm maybe coming in.”
Prior to the Maineiacs’ first home opener, fans organized in a similar fashion, and last season during the playoffs, several fans gathered outside the Colisee to greet the team as it returned from Rouyn-Noranda after winning Game 5 in that series.
“Now that we’ve turned the calendar year and interest is starting to get even higher, we figured why not try it again,” said Haggett.
High skill
Which of the Lewiston Maineiacs skates the fastest? Which player shoots the puck the hardest, and which has the most accurate shot?
Fans will have a chance to find out for themselves Tuesday when the team puts on its second annual skills competition at the Colisee.
One twist added to the mix this season is that players from Lewiston High School and from St. Dom’s High School will also participate.
The Maineiacs will split into two teams and compete against each other, while the two local high schools will send four players and one goaltender each, and also compete against each other.
The teams will compete in categories including a puck control relay, fastest skater, rapid fire, hardest shot, shooting accuracy and penalty shots. Season ticket holders will gain free admission to Tuesday’s event, while non-season ticket holders will pay $5 with all proceeds benefiting the Maineiacs Education Foundation. The competition begins at 7 p.m.
I score goals’
Olivier Legault is known in Lewiston as much for his lack of goal scoring production in almost three years in the QMJHL as he is for the quality of enforcement he provides the rest of the players.
Besides Sheldon Wenzel, Legault has accumulated the most penalty minutes since the inception of the franchise. After he (finally) scored the first goal of his career last Saturday against Val d’Or, Legault took a slap shot in the face while diving to block a shot in his own zone. His jaw is wired nearly shut and he lost five teeth in the initial blow.
At practice this week, Legault talked about his chances of returning, saying that he expected to be out “at least six weeks.”
Then, asked whether that is a return with a full shield of with a half so he could start fighting again, Legault laughed the best that he could.
“Fighting?” Legault asked. “I don’t need to fight anymore. I score goals now.”
He may be upset about an inability to play, but Olivier Legault has still not been stripped of his sense of humor.
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