Penalties killed the Lewiston Maineiacs on Tuesday – again.

This time, according to Lewiston’s coach, the penalties were not ill-advised. In fact, he said, many of them were undeserved.

Rimouski rode a wave of penalties to four consecutive power-play goals in the second and third periods, erasing a two-goal Lewiston lead, and outgunned the Maineiacs 5-2 in front of 3,412 at the Colisee de Rimouski.

“There are some things we have to do better; there’s no question,” Maineiacs’ coach Ed Harding said. “The referee, Francois Fortin, did everything in his control so that we had a very difficult time winning this hockey game. It’s an absolute travesty. I’m going to back my guys up 100 percent. They played their you-know-whats off. This is ridiculous.”

The Maineiacs did everything they could in the opening frame to put themselves in position to walk away with a second win over Rimouski this season.

Seconds after a Billy Lacasse miss on a penalty shot, Max Gratchev snuck in shorthanded and scored on a backhander to put the visitors ahead, 1-0.

A short while later, as the clock ticked to less than two minutes to play in the first, Denis Reul connected for a power-play goal from the left point on a snap shot to put the Maineiacs ahead, 2-0.

“We get up 2-0, we’re playing a beautiful first period, and this guy does everything in his power to make sure we didn’t win (Tuesday),” said Harding.

In the second, Danick Paquette went to the box early, and the Oceanic climbed to within one. Jordan Caron scored that goal, and the next to even things up at 2-2, and Patrice Cormier made it 3-2 Rimouski with less than seven minutes to play in the second, again on the power play.

In the third, with Lewiston pressing for the tying goal, the parade began again. The Oceanic notched a fourth power-play goal, and then their fifth goal less than three seconds after another power play expired.

“If I was a player here, I never would have finished the game,” Harding said. “I might have gone after the referee myself. I’m trying to teach a little class, and a little integrity. I could have thrown water bottles, and sticks, and sworn at him and put on a big scene, but we’re trying to keep our guys calm. But there’s only so much our guys can take, as well.”

In the third, tempers flared as the Maineiacs’ frustration with the calls mounted. Even goaltender Peter Delmas, who made several solid stops despite the score, got involved in one sequence, and nearly got kicked out of the game.

The Maineiacs return home to face the Quebec Remparts in a pair of home games at the Cumberland County Civic Center on Friday and Saturday, with both games scheduled to start at 7 p.m.