As tough as the Lewiston Maineiacs’ division is going to be this season, taking a period or two off likely won’t be an option.

The Quebec Remparts reminded the team of that in a not-so-subtle way Friday night.

Tomas Filippi scored two goals and added a pair of assists and Maxime Gravel added a goal and two helpers as the Remparts netted seven goals in the second period and romped the Maineiacs 8-1 in a preseason tilt at Riviere-Du-Loup, Quebec.

“I didn’t feel like we played all that well for most of the game,” Lewiston coach J.F. Houle said. “I didn’t think the veterans stepped up tonight and played all that well.”

The Remparts did most of their damage against Nicholas Champion, the 20-year-old keeper the Maineiacs traded for this summer. Champion allowed five goals on 20 shots in the game’s first 30 minutes.

“The first three goals, he had no chance on,” Houle said of Champion. “Honestly, I thought he made some really good saves. I didn’t think he was the problem at all.”

Tyler Piercy didn’t fare much better for Lewiston, allowing three goals on nine total shots.

“The forwards were losing the puck a lot at the blue line, and Quebec came back in transition on odd-man rushes,” Houle said. “We can’t be so fancy at the blue line. We need to just get the puck deep.”

The Maineiacs played a solid opening frame, outshooting the Remparts, who were technically the visiting team at the benefit game at a neutral site. Patrick Walsh put Quebec on top, though, at 18:23 of the first on the power play with Pierre-Olivier Morin in the box for Lewiston.

The teams traded goals early in the middle frame, and then Quebec opened things up. Gravel scored at 3:31 of the second and Olivier Hinse added another 14 seconds later to push the lead to 4-1.

“They got a lucky bounce on the third goal, and they scored right off the next faceoff,” Houle said. “After that, it looked like the momentum just died for us.”

William Breton, Ryan Bourque and Filippi (twice) scored in the remaining minutes of the second to put the game out of reach.

In the third, Lewiston outshot Quebec 11-2, but couldn’t solve the Remparts’ backup keeper, Derek Clavet, who stopped all 14 shots he faced.

The same teams will square off again Saturday night in Quebec City, the Maineiacs’ fourth of six preseason games.

“We just have to keep the boys positive,” Houle said. “We have to put this game behind us and look for a better performance (Saturday).”

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