This time, the Maineiacs finished it off.

For the second time in four games, the Maineiacs fell behind by a pair of goals early, and came back to score three in a row, taking a 3-2 lead.

The first one ended in a disheartening, 7-4 loss to Drummondville, which scored five more after Lewiston made it 3-2.

The second, though, was a bit more pleasant, and came on home ice Friday against Acadie-Bathurst.

“We didn’t panic,” Maineiacs’ coach Ed Harding said. “The goal to make it 2-1 is usually the most important. It helps out, and gives the guys some confidence. When it’s early like that, we still have time to come back, and we told the boys that. We can’t panic.”

Gratchev going nuts

Two more goals from Max Gratchev on Friday gave the speedy sniper 20 points in his last seven games, a pace of nearly three points per game over the last three weeks.

“We really like the way he’s been playing,” Harding said. “We’ve really liked the way he’s played over the last couple of years.”

Harding said the push to acquire Gratchev from Rimouski actually began in earnest last season.

“I really tried to get him last year at Christmas, but it didn’t work out,” Harding said. “We had an opportunity this time around, we knew he wasn’t going to play pro. The Islanders wanted him here, and we expect him to score some points.”

Part of Gratchev’s emergence in recent weeks has been a newfound chemistry with linemates Michael Chaput and Marc Bourgeois.

Go get ’em

Alex Beaton has talent.

Ed Harding won’t deny that much. There was a reason the team brought him in as a 16-year-old to watch the run to the President’s Cup, and last year, in his true rookie season, Beaton learned the ropes in the league.

This year, Harding hoped Beaton would be among the team leaders in points.

He’s getting there, thanks to a recent surge, including four points in a 7-2 win Friday.

“He’s an awful nice kid, and unfortunately this can be a real archaic game sometimes,” Harding said. “He wants to be nice and fancy, but he’s realizing he needs to get his nose dirty sometimes.”

Leaps and bounds

For all of the accolades Eric Gelinas has racked up this season, there is still room for plenty of improvement. That’s the scary part.

“The one thing we’re working on with Eric is that he still needs to be a little more safe with the puck,” Harding said. “As you see him jumping into the play, he’s got strong strides. Even in the last five or six games, he’s really trying to lug the puck a little bit more. As long as he’s making smart plays, and getting himself into trouble, we’re going to let him go and do that. That’s what he needs to do. He’s got a big shot, too. Sometimes, we don’t realize he’s still only 17 years old.”

Playing against the best

It hasn’t been an easy road for Maineiacs’ defensemen Michael Ward and Denis Reul. Night in and night out, those two are matched up against the opposing top line, and, according to Harding, they’ve done well in that assignment.

“They see all of the other teams’ top lines,” Harding said. “They go out, they do their jobs.”

Delmas banged up

Peter Delmas finished Wednesday’s game against Shawinigan, and earned a victory for his efforts.

But Friday, he was nowhere to be found on the Maineiacs’ bench.

“When the kid fell on him later in the game, he’s a little banged up from that,” Harding said. “(Friday) was a good chance to get Philip into the game.”

Delmas’ return date isn’t certain, and he may or may not be ready to go in Sunday’s contest at Victoriaville.

“He’s day-to-day at this point, but there’s a chance he’ll be on the ice,” Harding said.

Odd timing

Acadie-Bathurst Titan coach Ron Choules had more than a few people scratching their heads this weekend when he chose to change his goalie less than two minutes into the third period, with his team trailing 5-2.

The decision, Choules said, was made between periods, but as the team returned to the ice, backup Frederic Piche’s plastic neck guard broke, and it took a few minutes to fix.

Starter Nicolas Champion started the period, knowing he would be pulled at the earliest point possible.

The switch didn’t matter much, though. Lewiston scored on its first shot of the period.