LEWISTON — After learning in recent weeks of an outbreak of the H1N1 virus (known as the Swine Flu) on several National Hockey League rosters, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this week made public that a pair of players from the Moncton Wildcats have also contracted the virus. Those players and several others who had immediate contact with them have been quarantined, and the team’s games this weekend were postponed indefinitely.

Closer to home, the Lewiston Maineiacs haven’t seen any signs of the illness among their own, but they’re being vigilant.

“The biggest thing is to use common sense,” Maineiacs’ athletic therapist Tom Bourdon said. “We’re trying to limit contact between the players as much as possible. We’re encouraging the players to wash their hands before every meal, we’ve given each of them their own bottle of alcohol-based hand cleanser and they’re supposed to have it on them at all times. If someone becomes sick, I’ve told them to call me and I’ll come see them instead of them coming to the rink.”

These steps, Bourdon said, are above and beyond the rules the league has implemented to deal with the outbreak. Some of those rules include individualizing water bottles and changing out the towels players use on the bench after each period instead of after each game.

“We’re also looking into coolers with individual cups in the penalty boxes instead of bottles there,” Bourdon said.

Bourdon said the team hasn’t seen any particular signs of sickness among its own — yet.

“t can get to the point of obsession if you let it,” Bourdon said. “But we have to do our best. We’re not any more special than anyone else out there in terms of being in line for the vaccine, and it needs to go to the people who need it the most first.”

Bourdon said the vaccine now looks like it will be delayed until “at least December, now.”

Like anyone else, we just have to watch everything that we’re doing and be careful about it,” he said.

Look out behind

Steeven Jacques, a smallish forward who was among the last players cut from the Maineiacs’ roster during training camp, skated for the team in its 3-0 loss to Shawinigan, and, according to coach Don MacAdam, performed admirably.

So much so, MacAdam said, he’s not so sure Lewiston has seen the last of Jacques.

“If someone opens the door for Jacques to come back, he’ll come back,” MacAdam said. “There are some players on this team right now who are doing that. It’s sad to see the inconsistency in the game. I know it’s a part of the game at this level, but we know some of the guys can play much better than they have been.”

Jacques isn’t the only camp cut MacAdam is keeping an eye on.

“There’s a list of 10 guys who were in camp, and we plan on bringing some of them in from time to time, back for a second chance at some point,” he said.

Powerless

MacAdam also sounded off on his special teams this week. The Maineiacs at one point led the league on the penalty kill. By Saturday, the short-handed unit had dropped to sixth at 80.6 percent.

Worse yet, the Lewiston power play is a dismal 13-for-111 (11.7 percent), dead last in the QMJHL by a mile.

“Enough is enough on the power play,” MacAdam said. “We need to play much better than we have. We’re letting one player bring the puck into the zone and there’s no sense of urgency. All of the shots we’re generating are coming from the outside. Eighty percent of our shots on the power play are coming from the defense.”

Welcome back

President’s Cup-winning coach Clem Jodoin, who left after the run to the title in 2007, returns to the Colisee on Sunday coming off another trip to the Memorial Cup last season. His Rimouski Oceanic hosted the prestigious tournament last spring.

Jodoin led the Maineiacs to a 50-14-2-4 record in 2006-07. This will be the second season he returns to Lewiston. In his first year in Rimouski, he was away helping coach Team Canada’s junior squad when the Oceanic visited the Maineiacs. Last year, he received a standing ovation upon his introduction.