LEWISTON – The Lewiston Maineiacs remained perfect at home in two tries so far this season, getting goals from Peter Stevens, Pierre-Luc Faubert and Marc-Andre Daneau to take a 3-1 decision from the Saint John Sea Dogs in an exhibition game at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on Saturday night.

Marc-Andre Perron and Travis Fullerton combined to make 28 saves in the one-goal-against effort as the players and goaltenders alike battled through spotty fog in both defensive zones.

“Both of them had to battle, not just the screens, but the fog, too,” said Maineiacs assistant coach Jeff Guay. “It showed some good healthy competition, and it goes all the way up, from the goaltending to the defense to the forwards.”

The other half of the team didn’t fare so well. Made up largely of the same players who skated at the Colisee on Friday night, the Maineiacs dropped a 5-1 decision at Saint John’s customary home, Harbour Station.

Maxime Mathieu scored the team’s lone goal on a pass from David Perron in the third period, which temporarily closed the Maineiacs’ deficit to 3-1.

Two late goals, including a short-handed, empty-net tally with less than a minute to play, closed out the win for Saint John.

Back at home, Chris Noonan fought again Saturday, this time squaring off against Cory Battista, to the delight of the home crowd. Noonan also had a fight in Fredericton on Friday night.

Peter Stevens got things rolling on the scoreboard for the Maineiacs, picking up a dribbling puck behind a confused goalie Shawn McCauley and dumping it into the net. McCauley appeared to think he had the puck squeezed between his right arm and his body, but Stevens jumped through the crease to find the it loose to score his first of the preseason.

Pierre-Luc Faubert scored his fourth in two nights, potting the Maineiacs’ second of the night at the Colisee.

“We know he had the speed from three years ago, and it was just a matter if he still had the wheels and how much he still had,” said Guay. “It’s still going to take him a while, another month or so, maybe, to get going, but just adding him is a bonus.”

Players were asked to skate around their defensive zones later in the second period in an attempt to lift the fog caused by high humidity levels in the building, and again in the third, teams were forced into extra skating drills to quell the bank of fog more commonly associated with a seaside baseball game.

“Near the end of the second period, I couldn’t see past the first blue line,” said Fullerton. “You may as well have put a sheet up, that’s how thick it was.”

Marc-Andre Daneau scored on his second breakaway chance of the night, sniping the puck off the top right corner of the post and crossbar to beat Saint John’s second goalie of the night, Aaron Barton, to cap the scoring.

“He’s been working a lot with his hands,” said Guay. “It shows. He’s another guy who’ll gain a lot with his speed.”

By noon today, the coaching staff is expected to have the team’s active roster whittled down to between 30 and 35 skaters, meaning at least 14 players will be sent home. Also, Maineiacs head coach and general manager Clem Jodoin said Saturday that another trade may be on the horizon, and again repeated his statement from Friday night as rumors of Triston Manson’s signing circulated, saying only that “something is cooking.”

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