LEWISTON – One down, 34 to go.
The Lewiston Maineiacs lost Game 1 of their 35-game home schedule Friday night, but have a chance for redemption against the Shawinigan Cataractes this afternoon at the Colisee.
Making the matchup between two teams more intriguing is the return of Alex Bourret to Lewiston. Bourret, the Maineiacs’ leading scorer last season with 86 points in the regular season and 16 in the playoffs, asked to be traded prior to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s entry draft.
Lewiston general manager and head coach Clem Jodoin complied, sending Bourret to Shawinigan for a second first-round pick in the draft and second-line wing Stefano Giliati.
After the long summer break, Bourret was drafted by the National Hockey League’s Atlanta Thrashers. On draft day, as he ascended the platform, Bourret was out of shape, and analysts at the draft didn’t hesitate saying so.
Later in the summer, at the Thrasher’s training camp, Atlanta management made an example of him, playing him in every drill and skating him as hard as possible.
Sent back to Shawinigan with the Cataractes in an 0-2 skid to start the season, Bourret seems to have learned his lesson. After being invisible, according to his coach in his debut with Shawinigan, he has helped to right the ship. He is in better shape, and since his return, the Cataractes are 4-1-0-1. Bourret has a goal and 11 assists in just seven games.
He, Benoit Mondou and the rest of the Cataractes will square off against the Maineiacs at 4 p.m.
Paiement’s return
Jonathan Paiement returned to the ice Friday night after missing the team’s first six games while he tried out for the New York Rangers and the Hartford Wolf Pack. While he was neither cheered nor jeered upon his return, many fans talked about his impact after the game.
Or perhaps it was the lack of an impact, as Paiement was tossed from the game at 14:20 of the first period for starting another fight.
Still, according to Jodoin, Paiement did the right thing and impressed the staff.
“It showed he was part of the team, protecting the other players,” said Jodoin. “This is what we need from him. He is a veteran and needs to be a leader for this team.”
To make room on the blue line Friday, Chad Denny was penciled in as a forward, and skated a few shifts there before assuming his regular role as a defenseman once Paiement was ejected.
Light it up
The Maineiacs and the Colisee unveiled a new light show Friday night as part of pregame festivities. The lights, a combination of strobes, revolving lights with the Maineiacs’ logo and other patterns and spot lights, will be a fixture at every game. The Colisee is also in the process of replacing its current lighting system with a state-of-the-art system that will allow an operator to turn off the lights and activate the special effects after every Maineiacs goal.
Collins helps out again
Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) has been instrumental in efforts to eradicate the H2-B Visa problem the Maineiacs have been experiencing for two years. Collins, along with Senators from across the country in other minor league sports markets, hope to have the whole problem solved in time for next season.
In honor of her work, the Maineiacs invited Collins to drop the ceremonial first puck at Friday’s opener.
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