Better wasn’t good enough as the Lewiston Maineiacs dropped their third consecutive game Friday.

After playing evenly with Shawinigan through a period and a half, the Maineiacs appeared to tire as the Cataractes tacked on three goals in the third period to drown Lewiston 6-3 in front of 2,974 at the Centre Bionest.

“I thought we played a far better game (Friday) than we did (Thursday), with more of the guys playing the type of game we’re used to them playing,” Maineiacs’ coach Don MacAdam said. “But we still need a couple more guys to play a little bit better.”

Jordan Kennedy suffered the loss in net for Lewiston in his first career QMJHL start. The 16-year-old backup saved 37 of the 43 shots he saw. He’d played in one game earlier this season in relief of starter Adrien Lemay.

“Our defense has really struggled in front of our net,” MacAdam said. “The Cataractes are an offensive team, they like to go to the net hard. They have a good forward group, and it was one of those wide open games where both teams had a lot of shots.”

The teams traded goals in the first. Lewiston’s first came off the stick of 16-year-old rookie Francis Beauvillier, and the second from Billy Lacasse after a Beauvillier short-handed rush with just one second remaining on the clock.

“We had four 16-year-olds in the lineup tonight,” MacAdam said. “They all played exceptionally well, I thought. That goal by Lacasse, Beauvillier did what he does best, used his speed and shot through the neutral zone and got the puck to the net. It was a perfect example of what we’re trying to do.”

In the second, Dave Labrecque scored an unassisted goal at 11:50 to give his squad the lead for good. Pier-Olivier Morin netted the Maineiacs’ third goal late in the third.

Lewiston plays its next two games at home Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30 and 31 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee against the Val d’Or Foreurs.