When an opponent tries to press against the Lewiston Maineiacs, that team feels that it has the opposition right where it wants them.

David Perron worked some more of his rookie magic as he took an errant D-to-D pass in the low slot and popped it by Acadie-Bathurst Brant Miller at 14:10 of the third period to seal a 5-3 road win for the Maineiacs over the Titan at the K.C. Irving Regional Centre on Friday night, the team’s first in two tries since the holiday break.

“It hit a forward’s skates, and David turned the goalie inside out with his move,” Maineiacs’ assistant coach Ed Harding said. “We didn’t play the smartest third period in the world, but we came out with the win.”

Harding said his biggest point of emphasis Friday night was playing solid team defense, and he was most pleased that Acadie-Bathurst managed just 25 shots on net all game.

“It was a good effort in that sense,” Harding said. “That’s a good road game.”

Perron, meanwhile, now has 22 goals and 43 points on the season, which leads the Maineiacs overall, and all league rookies.

Titan forward Thomas Beauregard, meanwhile, tied a team record with his 50th goal of the season in just his 39th game played.

Lewiston netminder Jonathan Bernier followed one of his worst outings of the year Wednesday with a solid effort Friday to earn the win, making 22 saves on 25 shots.

“He was pretty good tonight,” Harding said. “He looked a lot more calm out there. He was on top of his crease. He hadn’t played in over a week after (Canada’s World Junior) camp, and he needed to get comfortable back there again.”

Marc-Andre Daneau scored his 14th goal of the year at 12:23 of the first to get things going Lewiston’s way, finishing off a partial, short-handed breakaway.

“He’s probably the hardest working kid on this team,” Harding said. “It was a nice play and a nice finish.”

Beauregard’s landmark goal tied the game at one at 17:09, but in the second, the Maineiacs scored three straight goals – including two on back-to-back power plays – to take control of the game. Eric Castonguay scored at even strength to make it 2-1, Chad Denny blasted a slap shot past Miller at 13:54 to make it 3-1 and Patrick Cusack potted his first career goal at 14:23 to build a 4-1 lead.

Bathurst crept to within one goal after scoring late in the second and again early in the third, but Perron’s pick and finish on the Titan’s turnover finished off the scoring.

Lewiston is back in action tonight in Saint John against the Sea Dogs.


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