LEWISTON – Chris Tutalo wrapped his arm around fellow Lewiston Maineiacs forward Rob McCarthy and nearly knocked him off the players’ bench. McCarthy recovered and tried to slap Tutalo’s glove, only to miss and catch the newest Maineiac in the helmet.
Tutalo didn’t mind though. In his first home game and third overall since joining the team, Tutalo electrified the home crowd with a takeaway and subsequent breakaway goal at 19:09 of the second period, at the time putting the team ahead 5-1.
“It was such a great feeling,” said Tutalo. “I could have jumped over the glass when it went in. I had to get the feeling out somewhere and (McCarthy) was the guy sitting next to me, so he was getting a hug.”
Meanwhile, at the other end of the bench, the other new Maineiac, Alex Hager, who was playing in his second home game and fourth overall with the team, was still trying to suppress his own ear-to-ear grin. Hager notched his first career QMJHL goal earlier in the period to put Lewiston ahead 2-1.
“It was definitely exciting,” said Hager. “(Chad) Denny worked hard and came around the net. The puck came out to me off the shin pad and I just threw it in. I got lucky that it didn’t hit any skates.”
Both players had no problems bouncing up from their locker-room stalls following the game to talk about the rush they felt.
“It was an ice-breaker,” said Hager. “I had to get that one in tonight and hopefully they keep coming.”
The players have had time to practice with the team now, and according to the coaching staff, both have the potential to improve with time.
“We brought (Tutalo) in here, he’s a finisher,” said Maineiacs assistant coach Ed Harding. “We’ll use him as another player on the power play. It adds an extra dimension to our team up front. In general, those guys, they’re a little bit older, so the adjustment period is a little bit quicker for them, and I think once they get two or three games under their belt, they’ll be fine.”
The best part for the Maineiacs, as Harding said last week, is that both players were acquired without losing players or picks.
As for the pucks the players scored with? Both were tossed into the Maineiacs’ bench after the officials dug them out of the net.
“It’s definitely going to go on the shelf and stay there for a while,” said Tutalo.
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