Two points turned into four Friday as the Lewiston Maineiacs dropped a 4-1 decision to Cape Breton at Centre 200 in front of 3,229 fans.
The loss, coupled with wins by Gatineau and Rouyn-Noranda, dropped Lewiston into 10th place in the overall standings and out of home-ice advantage for the playoffs. Drummondville, meanwhile, tied Val d’Or, and are now just two points behind the Maineiacs in 11th.
“Any loss is disappointing,” said Maineiacs coach Clem Jodoin. “I think the biggest disappointment in the two games this week was only scoring one goal, though. Usually, we can score goals.”
The game was rough and physical, with both teams combining for 83 minutes in penalties. Two players from Cape Breton, Vincent Zaore-Vanie and Leonard Puterman, were ejected from the game for intent to injure penalties according to Jodoin. Jonathan Paiement took a cross-check to the back against the boards in one altercation, while Alexandre Picard took a knee-to-knee hit in the neutral zone in another.
“It was a very chippy game,” said Jodoin. “If we have to play these guys in the playoffs, it’s going to be a very tough, very physical series.”
Still, the goals the Screaming Eagles did get were opportunistic.
“We gave them three goals,” said Jodoin. “We couldn’t clear the puck from our own zone, and they took those chances and scored.”
David Victor opened the scoring for Cape Breton at 10:21 of the first, and Guillaume Demers added another, his 12th of the season, at 18:36.
In the second, Lewiston climbed to within one at 2-1 when Brandon Roach notched his 15th of the year at 7:21, but the Eagles struck back five minutes later on a Luke Gallant tally.
Kevin Asselin added another insurance marker at 10:16 of the third to cap the scoring.
The Maineiacs return to action Wednesday at the Colisee Pepsi in Quebec against the Remparts, and then host Quebec at the Colisee in Lewiston on Friday.
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