LEWISTON – The Maineiacs will celebrate their league championship victory with a Saturday night celebration at the Colisee.

But the city and the team are saving the big celebration for the end of May when the Maineiacs return from the Memorial Cup Tournament in Vancouver.

“That’s when you can expect the big parade,” said City Administrator Jim Bennett on Thursday.

The team defeated the Val-d’Or Foreurs Wednesday night to claim the championship title for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The Maineiacs are the first American team to win it.

The team is hosting a fan rally at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Colisee.

“That’s just a big rally,” said DeeDee Record, executive administrative assistant for the team. They’ll show off the President’s Cup, and introduce players and coaches.

The team will leave Wednesday for Vancouver, British Columbia, home of the 2007 Memorial Cup championship, which pits the best Major Junior teams from three leagues across Canada – Quebec, Ontario and Western – against each other and the host team, the Vancouver Giants, in a round-robin tournament.

Lewiston will play three games in the opening rounds on May 19, 20 and 22. Semi-final games are scheduled for May 25 with the final championship game on May 27.