LEWISTON — It’s remarkable how quickly the pain of an 80 mile-per-hour slap-shot off the shin disappears with a freak bounce and a puck-handling mistake by a goaltender.

Pier-Olivier Morin blocked a shot by Val d’Or defenseman Marco Scandella, picked up the riccochet in the center zone and fired the puck toward the Foreurs’ net before peeling off for a change. The crowd erupted as Morin arrived at the bench. Confused, the Maineiacs’ 19-year-old forward looked around, saw the red light flashing behind Val d’Or keeper Rafaele D’Orso and shrugged his shoulders before celebrating.

His shorthanded goal, a lob from center that befuddled D’Orso and bounded into the cage, was the final nail in the coffin as the Maineiacs rebounded from a frightful loss Friday to upend the Foreurs 4-1 on Halloween night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

“This weekend’s the perfect example of the inconsistency of junior hockey,” Lewiston coach Don MacAdam said. “I was very impressed with how our guys did what they had to do. It was a really solid effort from start to finish.”

Morin’s goal capped a three-point night for the 19-year-old skater, and though it came in the second period, it appeared to break the Foreurs’ spirit for good.

“I was changing, I was going on the bench and I heard everybody scream,” Morin said. “I wasn’t trying to do that, of course, but I’ll take it.”

The Maineiacs’ improved effort and better result was due in part to a players-only meeting Saturday morning, called by the veterans on the squad.

“We had a reality-check this morning,” goaltender Adrien Lemay said. “The veterans took over and well talked about what our duties are. That was a big difference for tonight. Everyone has to do their job and work hard.”

Lemay certainly did his part, stopping 35 of the 36 shots he faced, including three stellar stops late in the first and early in the second that kept the Maineiacs in front.

“My main concern is to make the big saves from the start,” Lemay said. “That gives me confidence for the rest of the game, and helps lift the team.”

In an exhibition of skill and speed people at the Colisee hadn’t seen in three games, the Maineiacs seized control of the game early in a complete role reversal from the previous night. After putting nearly continuous pressure on D’Orso from the beginning of the game, Michael Chaput danced into the corner as his teammates mobbed him after capping a tic-tac-toe play with his seventh score of the season at 10:39.

“I saw Alex (Beaton) have three guys on him, so I went to the goal line to be an option for him,” Morin said. “He gave it to me and Michael was all alone coming in front.”

Francis Beauvillier netted his third at the all-too-fitting time of 13:13 when a pair of teammates collided in front of him. He scooped up the puck and fried a quick wrister past D’Orso’s outstretched glove hand to put the home team on top by a pair.

Val d’Or flashed its quick-strike ability in the second, scoring just 15 seconds into the middle frame on a third rebound chance in front of Lemay. Jonathan Hazen continued his hot streak with his 11th goal of the season, his team-leading 32nd point.

“We knew we wanted to start the second period well,” Val d’Or coach Marc-Andre Dumont said. “But we took a too-many-men penalty right after and they scored.”

Eric Gelinas replied for the Maineiacs at 2:22 with his first of the season, creeping in from the left point to the faceoff dot on a power play and firing a wrister off the iron behind D’Orso and into the cage to reestablish his team’s two-goal advantage.

Morin’s goal at 6:58 put Lewiston on top 4-1, and D’Orso stuffed a couple more solid chances to prevent his team from falling behind even further.

In the third, neither team managed much offense as Lewiston relied heavily on a defensive scheme.

“They played well defensively and trapped up the ice after they got ahead,” Dumont said. “They played a much better game tonight, and we got a bit tired.”

The Maineiacs play a pair of road games in Montreal and Shawinigan on Wednesday and Thursday before skating on Colisee ice again next Sunday, November 8 against former coach Clem Jodoin and the Rimouski Oceanic.