LEWISTON – For the first time this season, the Lewiston Maineiacs are not going to have to step off of a bus, a plane or any other method of mass transit to get to a hockey game. Tonight, in front of what team officials expect to be a packed house, the Maineiacs will open the home portion of their 2005-06 schedule against the Moncton Wildcats at the Colisee.
“It’s great being back home,” said assistant captain Olivier Legault. “We had a good trip and we played hard on that trip. The good thing is that we started good on the road and that was a good test for the team. We have a good team spirit.
“We have a great team ahead of us and we have a good coaching staff. Being back home, playing in front of all of our home fans, it’s just great. You can’t ask for better.”
At 4-1-0-1, Lewiston is off to its best start since moving from Sherbrooke, Quebec. Head coach Clem Jodoin is wary about getting too confident after the long road swing.
“We shouldn’t be satisfied because we had a good start,” said Jodoin. “We have to keep going. We know Moncton is talented. They were missing three key guys from their lineup, so when these three guys are in, they are going to be a very good hockey team. The thing is, we put in a system and we have to play in that system together.”
There will undoubtedly be a part of the Wildcats (5-1-0-0) aching to exact revenge on the Maineiacs. Last week, Lewiston handed Moncton its first and only loss of the season, 3-2 at the Moncton Coliseum.
“We know they will come hard on us because we beat them,” said assistant captain Mathieu Aubin. “They have two NHL players coming back, so they will be pumped up for the game. Last game against them we played really good. We had a lot of PK in the third period, that’s why they came back. But if we play a disciplined game with the same game plan, then we have a good chance.”
Under the new enforcement of existing rules, games across the league have seen a spike in penalty minutes, making special teams that much more important. The Maineiacs enter tonight’s game fourth in the league in power play efficiency (24.6 percent) and third on the penalty kill (87.1 percent).
“With the new rules, we have a lot of PK and power play,” said Aubin. “It’s very important to capitalize on your chances. Like last game in P.E.I. we had 17 power plays and 13 PK, so the whole game was on special units. We need to score on the power play because that is what will help us win the games.”
“Every day,” Jodoin repeated. “Every day, every day. Forty-five minutes to an hour, every day that we spend on special units. We believe it’s the key. With the new rules, the referees are calling almost everything now, so for sure we are going to be in the box. It’s not that we want to be in the box. You watched the National Hockey League (Wednesday) night, as soon as you put the stick in the way, they called it. For us, we have to be ready to do these things.”
Moncton is dead last on the penalty kill through six games, but ranks eighth in the league on the power play.
Another key in the Maineiacs’ win over Moncton last weekend was the ability to trap. Following that game, Moncton coach Ted Nolan laughed lightly, trying to remember the last time he had seen the trap used in junior hockey. He couldn’t.
But, if the Maineiacs intend on using the tactic again, they aren’t telling anyone.
“Tomorrow is a new day,” said Jodoin with s smirk. “We’ll see.”
Faceoff for the game is at 7 p.m. at the Colisee in Lewiston.
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