Maybe the heat is getting to me, but I don’t understand.

Some of the leaves in the northern parts of the Sun Journal’s coverage area have started to turn red. Football teams have been practicing for more than two weeks, the Sun Journal Fall Sports tab and preview comes out Friday — the same day football teams will hit the gridiron for real, the calendar is about to say Sept. 1, and, most importantly, the children of the greater Lewiston/Auburn area are going to go back to, or have gone back to school, and Maine is being threatened by a traditional late-summer/early-autumn phenomenon in Hurricane Earl.

Sounds like hockey season is coming back to me.

And it is, ready or not. The Maineiacs will play their final two preseason games on the road this week, visiting Moncton on Thursday and Fredericton (against Moncton) on Friday.

By Friday night, the coaches and GM will make the final cuts, on Saturday (we hope) we’ll know who the team’s leaders will be, on Sunday the Sun Journal’s QMJHL league preview package run, and on the following Friday, Clem Jodoin and the Rimouski Oceanic will be in town to compete against the Maineiacs. It will count, and it’s going to be good hockey.

The team recently did a few important things which we’ll note here.

• First, if it hasn’t been said enough, kudois to the team for its efforts to help restore Riverside Cemetery last week. The amazing gesture was picked up by outlets all over the country thanks to the AP reprinting a small piece of colleague Andie Hannon’s masterpiece.

• Kudos, also, to the smaller blog outfit out of Washington, D.C, japersrink.com, which featured the story because of Sam Carrier’s involvement.

• Kudos, also, for the team’s efforts in greeting Lewiston and Auburn elementary kids as they began school. Players fanned out across the cities at an unGodly hour to greet kids as they got off the bus or walked into their buildings.

Other news:

• It appears the final cutdown will be to 14 forwards, 7 defensemen and three goalies for now. This will allow the team to function with 11, 5 and 2 while some players are away at camps, but that should only be the case for two or three games. It appears for home-opening weekend some of the campers may still be with the Maineiacs. Stay tuned for confirmation of that.

• The Maineiacs will, for certain, carry just seven defensemen to begin the year, this from the coaching staff.

“It’s a manageable number, and it’s where we’d like to be,” coach J.F. Houle said.

• The Maineiacs have scheduled for Wednesday the season ticket-holder package pickup, and from then on, all people who have already purchased those tickets can get them at the rink. Also, individual game tickets go on sale on Sept. 3.

Packages that have been paid in full, and those who are signed up for the payment plan will be provided with the following benefits, including but not limited to:

– 10 redemption nights for the Never Waste a Ticket Program

– Discounts at several participating corporate partners

– Special discount days at the team store

– 90 minute pre-game access into the arena on game days

– First option to purchase tickets for the 2011 Playoffs

– Invitation to full season package holders Skate With the Team, as well as the annual Skills Competition

– Special invitation to full season package holders, as well as 4 invited guests, to attend a closed practice session and dressing room tour with the team

– Opportunity to have your picture taken with the entire team during the official team photo session (12 winners will be selected)

– Opportunity to have your picture taken with your favorite Maineiacs player (12 winners will be selected)

– Opportunity to win a special edition captains t-shirts, autographed by the captain of the Maineiacs (24 winners will be selected)

– Opportunity to have your favorite youth hockey team practice with the Maineiacs (1 winner will be selected)

– Opportunity for 10 of your friends to join you for a selected game in the “Be My Guest” season ticket holder pack (16 winners will be selected)

– Opportunity to be selected as the Season Ticket Holder of the Game (34 home games), plus the opportunity to be selected as the Season Ticket Holder of the Year

– Opportunity to dine with a Maineiacs player (12 winners will be selected)

– Opportunity to have a Maineiacs player visit the school classroom of your choice (4 winners will be selected)

 Details about the full season package benefits program will be provided during ticket pickup, starting on September 1st.

The Maineiacs will soon be releasing details regarding a meet the team season kickoff pep rally and tailgate party, as well as details on opening weekend events, which will include a tailgate in the parking lot on Saturday, and a player introduction night on the Thursday prior to the season-opener.

Of course, the team says, season ticket packages are still available, and can be purchased by contacting the Androscoggin Bank Colisee Box Office.

So, for those of you who suffered through this insane post, thank you. Get something cold to drink, relax and stay out of the sun.

Oh, and watch out for hurricanes.

We’ll post more news here as we get it. Look to the Sun Journal this week for coverage of the team’s final pair of preseason games this week, and for news relating to team cuts and movements.