There were only so many times the Lewiston Maineiacs could play with fire before being smoked out of the race for home-ice advantage in the first round of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs.

With Kevin Marshall in the penalty box for hooking in overtime, Robert Slaney converted a feed from Chris Culligan at 2:20 of the extra session to lift Cape Breton to a 2-1 win over the Maineiacs in front of 3,862 at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia on Friday.

“They have a great power play,” Maineiacs’ head coach Ed Harding said. “The only way they can beat us is on the power play. I don’t mind saying that. They have been on top almost all season, and it’s definitely easier 4-on-3.”

The Cape Breton power play goal was the third on the night between the two teams, and marked a rare letdown for the Maineiacs’ second-ranked penalty-kill unit.

The loss secures for the Maineiacs a fifth-place finish in the Eastern Division. The most points Lewiston can accumulate is 83. Cape Breton, with Friday’s win, sits at 84, tied with Acadie-Bathurst. The Titan hold the tiebreak over the Screaming Eagles.

A Titan win Sunday over St. John’s in Newfoundland would set up a rematch between Cape Breton and Lewiston as the 4-5 matchup in Round 1 of the playoffs. If the Titan lose, and Cape Breton defeats Lewiston again, Lewiston would travel to Bathurst for the first round.

“That’s not our concern right now,” Harding said. “They’re both good teams and will be tough to face on the road regardless.”

The first two periods Friday went decidedly in the home team’s favor. The Eagles outgunned the Maineiacs, and just flat out outplayed them.

Jonathan Bernier was the difference in net, making 23 saves in the first two frames to keep it to a one-goal game after Jordan Clendenning made it 1-0 on the power play later in the second.

Marc-Andre Daneau tied the game in the third on the second of back-to-back power plays for Lewiston on a Danick Paquette rebound in front of Cape Breton 16-year-old netminder Olivier Roy.

“We still aren’t getting enough pucks to the net,” Harding said. “We score three goals, we win, just like in Halifax (on Wednesday). Our problem is that we need to get more pucks to the net. It’s like a two-putt (in golf). We need to get the puck to the net, and then tap ‘er home.”

Sunday’s final day of action will see all 18 QMJHL teams in action, with several positions in the standings still up for grabs.

Halifax secured the No. 1 seed in the East with a win Friday, and Saint John is locked in at No. 2. Lewiston (No. 5) and St. John’s (No. 6) are also locked in.

In the Telus Division, none of the nine teams are locked into a position going into Sunday’s final day.

Telus West

Gatineau Olympiques

Montreal Junior

Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

Val d’Or Foreurs

Telus Central

Drummondville Voltigeurs

Lewiston Maineiacs

Shawinigan Cataractes

Victoriaville Tigres

Telus East

Baie-Comeau Drakkar

Chicoutimi Sagueneens

Quebec Remparts

Rimouski Oceanic

Atlantic

Acadie-Bathurst Titan

Cape Breton Screaming Eagles

Halifax Hooseheads

Moncton Wildcats

PEI Rocket

Saint Johns Sea Dogs