A matinee game provided the dose of variety needed to jolt the Maine Nordiques out of their early season doldrums.

Eleven players recorded a point for the Nordiques in their 5-1 victory over the Northeast Generals in a North American Hockey League East Division junior hockey game Tuesday afternoon at the New England Sports Village in Attleboro, Massachusetts.

The Nordiques (4-7-0, 8 points) have won two games in a row, having also defeated the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks 6-3 Saturday night.

“I think the (1:30 p.m. start) served us well; it was some change,” Maine Nordiques coach Matt Pinchevsky said. “We had bye weeks and we haven’t played too much on the road. It seems like the (NAHL) showcase was months ago now, even though it wasn’t that long ago. It was a nice little change of pace to get on a bus to prepare and be excited to play.”

Forward Kellen Murphy gave the Nordiques a 1-0 lead with his fourth goal of the season midway through the first period. Linemates Brendan Gibbons and Aidan Coupe notched the assists.

Nick Ramm scored a shorthanded goal for the Generals (8-7-1, 17 points) in the second period to tie the game at 1-1. Tyler Ramm and Emerson Miller set the goal up.

That was the only goal Nordiques goalie Kael DePape (38 saves) gave up.

Defenseman Evan Orloff scored a power-play goal in the final minute of the second period to put Maine up 2-1. Forward Oliver Genest had an assist.

Pinchevsky said special teams were crucial in Tuesday’s game.

“They are always a team that does well shorthanded,” Pinchevsky said. “To respond back, with the game-winning goal on the power-play goal of ours, it showed how much emphasis of a special teams’ battle there was.”

The Nordiques went 2-for-10 on the man advantage, and the Generals were 0-for-6.

Maine broke open the scoring in the third period.

Defenseman David Helledy set up Johnny Meier’s power-play goal early in the period. Then Laurent Trepanier scored his fifth goal of the year to extend the Nordiques’ lead to 4-1. Filip Wiberg put the final goal past Generals goalie Cullen DeYoung (37 saves).

Kim Hilmerrson had an assist on Trepanier’s goal. Henrik Hallberg assisted on Wiberg’s goal.

Maine continues its three-game road trip with a pair of games against the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks on Friday and Saturday in Connecticut.

Pinchevsky said that to continue their winning streak, the Nordiques must continue to do well on faceoffs, get quality shot attempts, and be smart defensively in their own zone.

“We aren’t going to change a whole heck of a lot; we are going to build on to what has added to the success of late,” Pinchevsky said. “We are going to stay away from the things that don’t work.”

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