LEWISTON – There are talks of a deal – perhaps multiple deals – in the works before the trade deadline Monday at noon.

“We have three or four potential deals right now,” said Lewiston Maineiacs’ assistant coach and assistant general manager Ed Harding.

“Clem’s been talking to two or three different teams about four or five different individuals.”

Harding also confirmed that one of those players being looked at is Triston Manson, who last played with Shawinigan last season.

“There’s a lot of work that we’ll have to do on Sunday,” said Harding. “Our protection list has to be down from 55 to 50 on Monday by noon, too.”

Also, all 19-year-old players on the roster must be tendered a contract by that time. Otherwise, they become free agents.

Do the (lineup) shuffle

As promised, the team on the ice tonight will be decidedly different than that which skated at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on Friday night.

Still, the changes will not be wholesale.

The line that electrified the team in Fredericton on Friday – Pierre-Luc Faubert, Steven Pearson and Marc-Andre Daneau – will skate as a unit tonight in Lewiston.

“Some guys just aren’t playing, because there’s no sense,” said Harding. “There was no formula, really. There are a couple of guys who are at home again.”

Among those who won’t travel are Josh Smith, Alexander Beaton (who scored two goals Friday), and Nicolas Therrien.

Rob McCarthy, who suffered a shoulder injury earlier in the week, is hoping to be back on the ice tonight.

“We’re hoping he can play, we have him in there for now,” said Harding.

Travis Fullerton and Marc-Andre Perron will don the goaltending equipment for the Maineiacs tonight.

Among those who will not play at the Colisee this weekend are Joel Humphries, Jakub Bundil and Marc-Andre Crete. They all played in Fredericton and will remain with the team in Saint John.

Also, head coach Clem Jodoin and Harding will swap places.

Solid debut

Peter Delmas sure didn’t look like a 16-year-old Friday.

The youngster, between the pipes against QMJHL competition for the first time, stopped all 14 shots he faced in his debut. He saw six shots in the first period, most of which came from the perimeter, and another eight before being yanked in the second after playing half of the game. Those in the second were a bit more challenging.

Nearly two

Daniel Basque had the first goal he scored Friday night called back. After picking up a loose puck behind the cage, Basque wrapped to his left and slid the puck between the Saint John netminder’s pads.

As he slid over, though, goalie Matthew Dopud sent the far-side post of the net off its mooring, denying the Maineiacs’ forward a goal.

At the 14:25 mark of the second, though, Basque got his revenge, scoring past Karel St. Laurent to pot the Maineiacs’ third goal of the night.