Thanks in large part to surprise starter Travis Fullerton, who made 45 saves on 46 shots in his first start since Jan. 11, the Lewiston Maineiacs upended the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 4-1 at the Centre 200 in front of 3,330 on Saturday.
“This was a big two points for sure,” said Maineiacs coach Clem Jodoin. “We will be happy with the result and move on, but I was disappointed in the third period. We didn’t play smart hockey. we took some stupid penalties. It was the little things.”
Twenty-three of Fullerton’s saves came in the third period, during which the Eagles outshot Lewiston 24-1, but managed just their one goal by Chris Culligan at 1:27 of the final frame.
“I congratulated him on the way he played,” said Jodoin. “Travis had an outstanding third period.”
Marc-Andre Cliche continued his hot hand with two goals and two assists, while Mathieu Aubin climbed to within five points of the Maineiacs’ all-time lead with a goal and two assists.
“They were all beautiful goals,” said Jodoin. “When the power play is working, it’s not just the goals, its how they are moving the puck, how they are scoring.”
Brandon Roach also had two assists on two of the three Maineiacs’ power play goals on the night. Lewiston was 3-for-5 with the extra skater while holding the Screaming Eagles to 0-for-10.
Lewiston started quickly Saturday when Aubin potted his 35th of the season just 4:34 into the game on the Maineiacs’ first power play. Cliche followed at 12:35 with a power play marker of his own, and Chad Denny fired his 14th goal of the season past Cape Breton starter Ondrej Pavelec in front of his hometown fans at 15:28 to put the Maineiacs ahead 3-0.
David Davenport replaced Pavelec for the second period and fared better, allowing only a Cliche power play goal at 19:07 of the middle frame.
Cliche has now racked up 18 points in his last eight games, and has at least two points in seven of those eight.
In the third, though, the Eagles turned up the pressure, and Davenport stopped just the one shot he faced while Fullerton spun his magic on the other end.
Lewiston concludes a three-games-in-three-nights road trip this afternoon against Cape Breton, who they now trail by just five points for third place in the division with three games in hand.
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