LEWISTON — The last thing the Lewiston Maineiacs wanted to do against Quebec Major Junior Hockey League juggernaut Quebec and its high-powered offense was get into a shootout.

Or maybe they did.

Cameron Critchlow tipped a blast by Olivier Dame-Malka past Quebec goaltender Louis Domingue with 5:54 to play in the third period as the Maineiacs continued to pile up the wins with a season-defining 4-3 victory over the Remparts at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on Wednesday.

“It was real good right off the get-go tonight,” Lewiston coach J.F. Houle said. “We had some legs, no passengers. Everyone played well tonight.”

Etienne Brodeur added to his startling goal total twice Wednesday, bringing to 17 the number he’s netted this season, one short of his total from all of last year. Critchlow finished with a goal and a pair of assists, and Nick Champion turned back 19 of 22 to earn his 11th win.

“Games like that, you always feel better about them when you come out on top,” Champion said.

Quebec, meanwhile, lost in regulation for just the second time this season. Ranked atop the QMJHL and atop the CHL by pro scouts who vote in a weekly poll, the Remparts defeated Lewiston 12-3 the only other time the teams met this season, in Quebec.

“They had a very good start,” Quebec coach Patrick Roy said. “We expect that. They put a lot of shots on net, they were not looking for a fancy game but a very effective game, and it seems like they were very well prepared for us. I thought they did a good job.”

Critchlow’s goal capped a see-saw third period. Brodeur struck for his second of the night at 7:08 of the frame when he took off on another shorthanded breakaway, beating Domingue 5-hole on a backhand deke move.

“It was a move I’ve been using, it works on a lot of the goalies, so I used it again,” Brodeur said.

Joel Champagne tied things back up at 3-3 at 8:35, though, when the puck clanged off the post and in behind Champion off the forward’s skate. After a review, officials determined there was no kicking motion, and the goal stood.

“I thought we would be OK after we tied the game,” Roy said.

But like they’d don all game, Lewiston continued to pin Quebec deep, and the puck squirted out to Dame-Malka on a clearing attempt. His blast was through a high screen, and glanced off of Critchlow near the goalmouth.

Intentional or otherwise, the Maineiacs executed a perfect game of keep-away in the opening frame. Despite taking the lone penalty in the period, Lewiston outshot Quebec 11-4. More importantly, the Maineiacs got out in front.

Michael Chaput hit Brodeur with a pass in the right corner. Brodeur swung the puck high to Zach Shannon at the point, where the defenseman swiveled to the center and wristed a low liner in on goal. Brodeur crossed from the right, tipped the first shot into Domingue’s pads and collected his own rebound in time to fire the puck past the prone Quebec keeper to put the Maineiacs in front, 1-0.

A fluke and a bad Lewiston giveaway put the Remparts back in charge in the second period.

Mickael Tam put the visitors on the board just 2:09 into the middle frame when he rang a shot off the left post from the left circle. The puck ricocheted off the left pipe, hit Champion in the back and trickled over the line before the Lewiston keeper could snag it to even the game at 1-1.

“Every time we got the lead tonight, it seemed like a bad bounce tied it up,” Champion said. “Sometimes that can be disheartening, especially when you’re playing a good team. But they did a great job of not letting that bother them.

“Nothing phases (Champion),” Houle said. “He keeps making the key saves at the right times.”

With 5:55 to play in the second, Ryan Bourque broke to the low slot as Jonathan Audy-Marchessault picked defenseman Sam Carrier’s pocket in the left corner. Audy-Marchessault spun to his backhand and delivered a perfect feed to Bourque, who beat Champion short side.

Jess Tanguy returned the favor with less than a minute remaining in the second. Picking the puck off in the right corner, he spun to the center and roofed it over Domingue’s shoulder to knot things back up at two.

Lewiston nearly had another pair in the final minute of the second, but Domingue came up big.

The win also came in timely fashion. Maineiacs’ principal owner Mark Just, minority owner Paul Spellman and newly-acquired forward Kirill Kabanov were all on hand to watch the win.

The Maineiacs are back in action at home Friday and Saturday for a pair of contests against Val d’Or.