LEWISTON – With just 19 games left to play, the Lewiston Maineiacs have their sights set on at least a No. 4 seed in the Eastern Division playoffs, maybe even a No. 3 depending on where the chips fall.
“We are looking to catch Halifax,” said Jodoin “That’s the goal now, but we have to beat the teams ahead of us to do that.”
Strength of schedule will play a big part in the sprint to the finish. Lewiston has to play front-running Moncton just once and No. 2 Acadie-Bathurst twice.
Halifax, on the other hand, will see Moncton three more times and Bathurst twice. Cape Breton, which both teams are chasing for the No. 3 spot, has Moncton only once, but will see Bathurst three more times. The Eagles will face Halifax twice, and after Saturday’s game against Lewiston those two teams will not see any more of each other.
Lewiston and Halifax meet twice more.
Also in play, according to Jodoin, is the team’s character down the stretch.
“The first half of the season is on talent,” said Jodoin. “The second half is on grit, and the playoffs are on will. We still have to play with some grit, and we have the talent.”
Jodoin also called the attitude his team needs in the coming weeks one of “urgency.”
“We have to play with passion, like its our playoffs,” said Jodoin. “It’s how we’re going to play that will determine where we finish.”
Eye on the future
If the QMJHL entry draft were tomorrow, Jodoin swears he’d be ready.
“When Mr. Just (Maineiacs’ principal owner Mark Just) was here, we sat down and talked about everything,” said Jodoin. “If we had to go to the draft right now, I say let’s go.”
On the wall in Jodoin’s office, similar to the map he had spread out in training camp, there are colored pieces of paper, names of players and their corresponding positions and ages. Like a master mathematician, Jodoin started pointing and describing possible scenarios of player movement and line combinations, moving quickly from one player to the next and pointing at each one as he moved.
“You have to be ready,” Jodoin said.
Goalie(s)? Check.
Some people following the Maineiacs last weekend had to look twice as Travis Fullerton got two consecutive starts between the pipes on the road.
The coaching staff saw it more as a test.
“We know (Jonathan) Bernier will be our No. 1,” said Jodoin of his 17-year-old starting goalie, “but it’s good to know that if we need him, if Jonathan gets injured, Travis can play well in his place.”
Fullerton, who is 18, has played admirably in his 12 decisions, going 6-6 with a 3.36 goals-against-average.
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