LEWISTON — It took exactly 67 minutes and five seconds for the Lewiston Maineiacs to put a charge into the Androscoggin Bank Colisee this season.

After missing a point-blank chance late in the third period, Alexis Piette made the most of his second opportunity, converting a rebound on a Billy Lacasse wrap-around try 2:05 into overtime to lift the Maineiacs to a 3-2 home-opening victory over Baie-Comeau, sending 2,632 fans into a frenzy.

“It was great to get the winner after missing the chance earlier,” Piette said. “We were working had, getting pucks to the net, and now we need more finish.”

The victory is the Maineiacs’ third home-opening win in seven seasons, giving the vocal crowd plenty to cheer about.

“We could really feel the energy in town all week,” Maineiacs’ coach Don MaAdam said. “And we could feel it in the building (Friday), no question.”

Piette and several other Lewiston skaters had opportunities to score on odd-man rushes and breakaways all night, and just couldn’t seem to get a stick on the puck when they needed to. Also in their way, of course, was Baie-Comeau netminder Nathan Dunnett. The 19-year-old made several quality saves to keep the score tight.

“We knew (Dunnett) is an excellent goaltender,” MacAdam said. “You can look at it one way and say, ‘Those pucks should have gone in,’ but he’s a really good goaltender.”

“We can’t expect our goalie to save us like this every game,” Baie-Comeau coach Stephane Hains said. “We have to be better in front of him.

The Maineiacs’ speed was tough for the Drakkar to handle, and by the end of the game, the Baie-Comeau defense was flat-footed more often than not.

“That’s two games in a row we lose just like this,” Hains said. “The last one late in regulation and this one in overtime. The defensemen couldn’t find the puck and they were just standing there.”

Despite the speed and apparent skill advantage, the Maineiacs trailed the Drakkar twice.

After a scoreless first, the Drakkar beat the Maineiacs to the punch in the second, parlaying their third power play opportunity of the game into the first goal of the season at the Colisee. After a Lewiston shorthanded rush, Baie-Comeau rushed back into Lewiston territory on a 4-on-2. Marc-Olivier Mimar finished a perfect feed from Simon Olsson at the right post to put the visitors on top 1-0.

The Maineiacs hit the post twice through the middle part of the period — once on a floater from Matt Boyle at the left point, and once on a scrum in front. With 2:36 to play in the middle frame, Lewiston set off its new goal horn — part train horn, part “I Love L-A” and part “Sandstorm” — on a beautiful individual effort by Pier-Olivier Morin.

With Lewiston on the backcheck, Morin circled in his own end and took a touch pass up the left side from Michael Chaput. Morin deked the only Baie-Comeau defender in his way to the ice, and caught Dunnett leaning the other way, flipping a backhand into the cage to even the score.

The second period also saw the first home fight of the season, as Sam Grenache bloodied Antoine Laperriere. Sam Carrier left the game earlier in the period after taking a shot to the head from Gabriel Bourque.

Guillaume Langelier-Parent again put the Drakkar on top by a goal at 13:39 of the third, a goal Lemay nearly stopped.

“I thought I had it when it popped up,” Lemay said. “I missed it and it landed right on his stick in front of an open net.”

Chaput responded quickly for the Maineiacs, stuffing the puck through a scrum in front at 16:07 to even things back up at 2-2.

“Coach told us to go out there, we needed a goal right away,” Chaput said. “It ended up near the goal, we all crashed the net. We were three players in front, just hacking at it and hacking at it and it finally went in.”

“I thought the Chaput line, they just elevated,” MacAdam said. They were better than anybody else tonight,” MacAdam said.

The same teams will square off again Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Colisee.

Lewiston Maineiac’s Alexis Piette fires a shot past Baie-Comeau goalie Nathan Dunnett for the game winner in overtime at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston during the team’s first home game of the year.

Lewiston’s Alexis Piette celebrates after scoring the game winning goal in overtime as Baie-Comeau gaolie Nathan Dunnett looks out in disbelief.

Lewiston Maineiac player Eric Bonawitz, left celebrates with teammate Alexis Piette after Piette scored the game winning goal in overtime give them a victory in their home opener

Brody Emond, 2, of Auburn and his mother Amber cheer as the Lewiston Maineiacs hockey team take the ice for their first home game of the season Friday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston.

Journal
Baie-Comeau goalie Nathan Dunnett denies Lewiston’s Samuel Grenache as he takes a point blank shot during the Lewiston Maineiacs home opener at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston Friday night.

Lewiston goalie Adrien Lemay james his pad into the goalpost to deny Baie-Comeau’s Guillaume Goulet as he tries a wrap around shot during first period action at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston during Friday night’s home opener.

Lewiston Maineiacs player Alexander Beaton contorts his body in an attempt to get control of the puck after stealing it from Baie-Comeau’s Gabriel Bourque during Friday night’s game