You know things aren’t going well when even the funny hops and bounces start affecting the outcome of games.

Twice in the third period Shawinigan scored on deflected pucks with no Cataractes skater in sight as the Maineiacs fell for the second time in three games to Shawinigan, this time by a score of 5-2.

But Lewiston coach Ed Harding didn’t want to blame the loss – the third in as many nights for the Maineiacs, and their 10th in their last 11 games – on bad bounces.

“I don’t care if pucks bounced off skates,” Harding said. “We got out-classed, we got out-battled. I’ll take the blame for that.”

For the third consecutive game, Lewiston allowed more than 35 shots on goal against. Adrien Lemay, in his second game in three days, did well to stop 31 of 36, with two of those going in off his own teammates skates.

Just like in Saturday’s 4-2 loss to Montreal, Lewiston fell behind early Sunday. Michael Bournival netted his third of the season at 5:51 of the opening period, and Alex Grant, who always performed well against Lewiston for Saint John, scored his first as a Cataractes defenseman at 14:11 to stake the home team to a 2-0 advantage.

“In between the first and second period, we went over some things as a team,” Harding said. “The problem is right now, we don’t have all 22 guys following the system. All of the guys need to be following the system at the same time. When we do, we’ll get the shot totals down and we’ll win some hockey games.”

After Antoine Houde-Caron scored to make it 3-0 early in the second, the Maineiacs started fighting back. Denis Reul beat countryman Timo Pielmeier for his fourth of the season at 11:25, and Max Gratchev potted his 20th to draw Lewiston to within one at 3-2 on the power play.

But goals from Bournival and Maxime Legault – both on deflections – put the game out of Lewiston’s reach.

The Maineiacs return home this week for practice, and head back out on the road for games in Rouyn-Noranda and Val d’Or next Friday and Saturday.

“We’ve got to, in two days of practice, we’ve got to try to get these guys following the system and playing the system, and we’re right back out on the road again.”