L/A Nordiques’ Zack Mullen tries to shovel a backhand shot past Maine Wild goalie Daniel Sprague during Wednesday night’s game at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)

LEWISTON – The L/A Nordiques had a feast on Thanksgiving eve as they defeated the Maine Wild 10-0 in front of 613 fans at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

The game was the first of the Maine Cup between the two teams this season. The other two games of the three-game series will take place on December 5th and January 23, also at the Colisee.

Nick Lusignan paced the offense with a hat trick and an assist while Connor Kennedy chipped in with four assists. JP Chauvin had a goal and two assists.

For coach Cam Robichaud, these blowouts aren’t his favorite types of games.

“When you have more goals than the other team has shots, it’s a tough game,” Robichaud said. “You create bad habits, you get away from your structure and team system. Guys want to get their own points. These are the worst games because they are the most difficult to coach. How do you tell a kid you are playing poor when you are up eight, nine 10 goals? In their mind they are like ‘Hey, we are crushing them.’ It like, ‘Yeah, but once we play solid teams, you aren’t going to get a positive result.'”

Advertisement

L/A outshot Maine, 57-8.

The Nordiques had 11 shot attempts in the first four minutes, including two that hit posts. Nick Lusignan broke the deadlock on the Nordiques 16th shot of the period, as he set up in the slot as Kennedy fed him with a pass at the 7:20 mark. Crewz Berry notched the the secondary assist.

Lusignan made it 4-0 with 3:28 remaining in the period as he potted home a loose rebound on a Hans Watson shot.

Josh Malone made it 2-0, while Berry made it 3-0 before Lusignan’s second goal of the game.

Kennedy had three of his four assists in the first period in his first game since October 13.

“He was good. He was physical which is funny because he’s coming off a concussion,” Robichaud said. “He was putting guys on their (butt) and he assisted on the first three goals in the game. So, the important goals, not the eighth, ninth and tenth goals.”

Advertisement

Lusignan capped off his hat trick 57 seconds into the second period while Armand O’Keefe stretched the lead to 6-0 at the 2:36 mark of the middle frame.

Lusignan, who came to the Nordiques as a defenseman, has made the transition to a full-time forward.

“First it was difficult to position myself in the right spots, but now I know my teammates pretty much, like my wingers,” Lusignan said. “I know where to be at the right time and we have good chemistry I would say.”

Joe Bisson added the extra point to make it 7-0 at the 5:11 mark of the third period. Zack Mullen converted to two-point conversion just past the seven minute mark of the final period. Chauvin innocent looking shot from the point hit a skate of a Wild defenseman and redirected into the half-open cage at the 15:42 mark.

Andrew McCormick capped the scoring in the final minute.

The Nordiques return to action this weekend at the Colisee against the Niagara Falls PowerHawks for a 7 p.m. faceoff on Saturday and a 2 p.m. puck drop on Sunday.

Advertisement

L/A Nordiques goalie Jason St. Pierre makes a save off a shot from Maine Wild’s Cody Woodward during Wednesday night’s game at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)

L/A Nordiques’ Nicolas Lusignan picks up a rebound and tucks it into the back of the net for a first-period goal during Wednesday night’s game at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)

L/A Nordiques’ Zack Mullen, left, fires a shot on Maine Wild goalie Daniel Sprague during Wednesday night’s game at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)

L/A Nordiques’ Colby Audette cuts in toward the net as Maine Wild’s Hunter Smith trails during Wednesday night’s game at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.