By Justin Pelletier,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – Sheldon Wenzel has had his share of memorable moments in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

An game-winner as time expired in the regular season last year, a playoff overtime winner in 2004 against Rouyn-Noranda in Game 5 to extend that series, and Wednesday’s OT classic would all be near the top of his list.

But at 20-years-old, the time to make those moments last is growing thin.

“When it’s your last kick at the can, you have to come up big,” said Maineiacs coach Clem Jodoin. “Wenzy came up big and had a winning goal, but not only that, he’s been good in the dressing room, you know, pushing and helping everybody to do their job.”

Wenzel will end his major junior hockey career in the coming weeks, as will Nick Cowan and Bobby Gates. All three players were relative unknowns in the Eastern United States and Canada less than two years ago, but all three answered invitations to the Maineiacs’ inaugural training camp in 2003, and all three have survived two full seasons.

The numbers game

When most teams look for leaders, and in particular 20-year-olds, at least one of them is usually at or near the top of the team in scoring.

Wenzel? While he had a solid year in 2003-04 (18 goals, 7 assists), his number slipped this year, due in part to several nagging injuries. He finished the regular season with just eight goals and 14 assists.

Cowan? Another of the walking wounded (and suspended) this season. After just 47 games, Cowan had 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points, three better than last year.

Gates? As a defenseman, his game was less about points and more about preventing them, but he still managed six goals and eight assists for 14 points.

Each guy has his own thing that he brings to the game,” said Gates. “This year we worked more on defense. I worked more on defense and being a plus guy. That was important to the team.”

Jodoin, too, looked at more than numbers.

“If you’re 20-years-old and you’re not doing anything, you don’t deserve to be here,” said Jodoin. “You have to come up with something. You have to bring something to the table. I am not saying that you have to be a superstar or whatever, but your personality, your calm, your poise. If you’re an older guy you need to bring leadership.”

To each their own

Wenzel led the league with 262 penalty minutes, Cowan seemed to inspire the troops upon his return(s) to the lineup, and Gates, though criticized at times, never stopped playing defense, nor did he ever lose the bursts of speed that rival any forechecking forward’s wheels at any time during the game.

“Cowan’s is work ethic,” said Jodoin. “Wenzel it’s what he can do on the ice. I know he can fight, but he do other things, too. He can play hockey, he can score, and Gates is a consistent player and that’s really a plus for the team.”

For Cowan, working hard on and off the ice has become a necessity.

“I always thought, to get the edge on the competition on the ice, that you need to work really hard off of it,” said Cowan. “This series, I tried not to get too much in the way, but I just kept doing my thing. I tried to stay away from the guys in the locker room during games and stick to the workouts, to make sure I was ready to come back.”

“Even with Cowan, not even dressed, it’s the same thing,” said Jodoin. “With him it’s his work ethic. He always has a good work ethic. Off the ice he’s there all the time, you know, he’s pushing, he’s training hard. Cowan is Cowan. Cowan is Mr. Energy, and he will be back in the lineup now, you know. He’s going to pump the team, there’s no question.”

And Wenzel is now playing perhaps healthier than he has all season.

“He was injured,” said Jodoin. “He was injured quite a lot, but he played through them. Numbers are one thing, it’s what you are doing for the team.”

And all Wenzel did for the team Wednesday was set up two goals and score the game-winner.

“That was the best moment I’ve been a part of in my two years here,” said Gates. “I was on the ice on the play and I jumped so high when I saw the light go on that I almost fell down on the way down. That’s one of my favorite moments in Lewiston.”

Looking ahead

Of the three overagers in a Lewiston uniform this season, Wenzel is the most likely to have a chance at a professional career next year. His size, brute strength and scoring ability, despite several injuries this season, are all positive factors. But all three will have a chance to play somewhere next season.

“With the NHL not playing, that changes a lot of things for next year,” said Gates. “Not everyone will be moving around as much as they normally do. University hockey (in Canada) will probably be a good option for me, but right now, we have another series to worry about.”

Cowan, meanwhile, is just happy to have another game to play, after having to sit out the entire first series due to a late-season, 10-game suspension.

“I was pumped after the first game, because that meant I would get to play again,” said Cowan. “Now I can help.”

For Jodoin, with the end of the season drawing closer with every playoff game, had one admonition for his 20-year-old skaters.

“You have to bring something,” said Jodoin. “They know if they want to move up, to play college, to play pro, they have to perform. You are as good as your last game, and we haven’t played our last game yet. There is always still room to improve, even if you are 20. There is always room. With this the last kick at the can, for sure they want to go as far as they can. After that it’s over. It will never come back.”