RIVIERE-DU-LOUP, Quebec – The offensive numbers are staggering: Twenty-eight games without a loss, 333 goals in 70 regular-season games and a power play converting at 27 percent.
And that only scratches the surface.
The Lewiston Maineiacs face a daunting task this weekend against the top-ranked Rimouski Oceanic and standout Sidney Crosby in the second-round of the QMJHL playoffs. Game 1 is tonight.
“As a coaching staff, we are always looking for a challenge,” said Lewiston Maineiacs coach Clem Jodoin. “As a team, we are all looking for a challenge. It’s time to show what we have. For the whole year, we have been injured. Now we have a team, not back 100 percent, but we have a whole team. They did something in the first round, so now, what can we do in the second round? We’ll see that this weekend.”
The challenge will start in trying to keep the Oceanic off the scoreboard. At 4.75 goals per game, Rimouski boasts the most potent offense in the league. A quick re-examination, though, shows that 109 of the Oceanic’s 333 goals came with an extra attacker.
“They have five guys that combined for 500 points,” said Jodoin. “Two great quarterbacks and three guys that are mature on the front, especially you talk about maturity, (defenseman Patrick) Coulombe is 19, (defenseman Mario) Scalzo is 20, (forward Dany) Roussin is 19, (forward Marc-Antoine) Pouliot is 19, and Crosby is the best player in Canada, so they have that. (Oceanic coach Doris Labonte) has the personnel to do it, and they are doing it.”
Keeping its composure has been a problem for Lewiston. In the last regular-season meeting with the Oceanic, Lewiston allowed nine power plays, which led to five Rimouski goals. In all, Lewiston was shorthanded more than anyone else in the league by more than 100 minutes.
In the playoffs, though, things have been different. The Maineiacs were assessed a total of 86 minutes in penalties – including just six in Game 4 – against Shawinigan.
On the flip side, the Oceanic weren’t angels, either. Rimouski racked up 1,661 penalty minutes, third in the league behind the Maineiacs and P.E.I, and led the league in number of power plays allowed with 471. At 81.1 percent, the Oceanic’s penalty kill was tied for 10th overall.
“I think 5-on-5 we are as good as they are,” said Jodoin. “That’s how we need to win our games, 5-on-5.”
The other potentially vulnerable part of the Oceanic’s machine is between the pipes. Of the teams remaining in the playoffs, only Rouyn-Noranda allowed more goals.
Lewiston, meanwhile, finished sixth with 209 goals allowed, and netminder Jaroslav Halak led all goaltenders in the first round with a 1.74 goals-against-average and a .944 save percentage.
“Halak is a guy who will give you a chance to win every game,” said Jodoin. “First, he is going to make the first save. We have to help him out and clear the rebounds. I always said, let’s protect the small ice and give them the outside.’ If we practice that, we will be there.”
For the second series in a row, the team has elected to stay outside of the host city, this time choosing a practice venue in Riviere-du-Loup, a town 60 miles south of Rimouski. Lewiston will practice in the late morning today before packing up and heading to Rimouski in the afternoon.
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