LEWISTON – David Perron’s job with the Lewiston Maineiacs was never really in doubt Friday, but just to be sure he did what he’s done in every game in which he’s played so far this preseason – he scored a pair of goals.

This time, the 18-year-old rookie who found a nose for the net this preseason scored his league-leading seventh and eighth goals – including the game-winner on a short-handed break with 2.2 seconds remaining – to lift the Maineiacs to a 5-4 win over the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

“He’s been the surprise of camp,” said Maineiacs head coach and general manager Clem Jodoin of Perron. “There’s no question. His hockey sense, his skill, his talent. Even (departing Lewiston forward) Mathieu Aubin said at the beginning of camp, ‘Hey, who is this kid.’ That says something right there.”

Perron’s goal came on a perfect feed from 20-year-old newcomer Simon Courcelles.

The Maineiacs are now finished with preseason play, having won seven of their 11 games.

“This was a tough, tough camp,” said Jodoin. “It was very good, very good for the organization.”

Jonathan Bernier saw his final action before taking off to Los Angeles next week for Kings’ training camp. Bernier saw 22 shots and allowed just one goal. Peter Delmas played well in relief, but allowed three goals on 15 shots, which allowed the Titan to crawl back into the game.

Triston Manson scored his fourth goal in as many games for the Maineiacs to even the score at one early in the second. Marc-Andre Daneau followed to make it 2-1 Lewiston, only to have Dany Masse even the score up at two with a goal at 16:30 of the middle frame.

Two quick Maineiacs goals less than two minutes apart late in the second seemed to put Acadie-Bathurst out of reach, but Jonathan Duchesneau and Adam Clow scored in the third to once again knot the game, this time at four goals each.

Maxim Gougeon tended the net for the Titan, stopping 27 of the 32 shots he faced in the loss. Lewiston will not play for three weeks, and will open the regular season on the road in Prince Edward Island on Sept. 22.

Final roster set

Jodoin called what he had to do Friday night “the hardest thing I ever have to do as a coach.”

“After 28 years coaching, this is always the toughest day,” said the Maineiacs’ head coach and general manager.

Friday was cut day.

In all, Jodoin sent six players packing Friday night, most notably returning 18-year-old forward Jonathan Paquet.

“He wants to play,” said Jodoin. “He wants to play in this league, but with him, when we added Perron, and Courcelles, and Faubert, that changed the whole format of the team.”

Paquet joined Chris Noonan, Karl Hayes, Steven Pearson, Matt Carroll and Alexander Beaton on his way out the door. Beaton, Jodoin said, was another of the tougher cuts.

“We like the way he plays,” said Jodoin of the 16-year-old rookie. “With him, though, it will be better for him to play 30 minutes a game in Midget AAA and skate a lot and score, get bigger, faster and stronger.”

The final Maineiacs’ roster still technically includes Maxime Mathieu, though Jodoin continues to shop the 20-year-old to other teams.

The roster also includes three other 20-year-old skaters, nine 19-year-olds, six 18-year-olds, four 17-year-olds and two 16-year-olds for a total of 24 players – three goaltenders, eight defensemen and 13 forwards.