LEWISTON – One team is reeling after losing eight of its last 10 games. The other will compete with three players less than the maximum of 20 allowed with no chance of substitutions.
Add to the mix a tightened divisional race and more teams clamoring for home-ice advantage in the playoffs, and tonight’s midweek matchup between the Lewiston Maineiacs and Quebec Remparts becomes that much more interesting.
“We’re a thin lineup. We have 20 games left and we have a goal of home-ice advantage in the playoffs,” said Maineiacs coach Clem Jodoin. “Realistically, we could reach that goal. It won’t be easy, you know, with Chicoutimi, Quebec, Halifax and Rimouski all on the schedule, but if we’re smart and we play the right way we can achieve that goal. If we are stupid, forget about it.”
In addition to Sheldon Wenzel, Olivier Legault and Marc-Andre Cliche sitting out with various injuries, Lewiston will be without leading scorer Alex Bourret and stalwart defenseman Chad Denny, both receiving match penalties in Saturday’s loss to Chicoutimi. During that game, Jodoin was so angry with officiating he declined comment following the game to the local media.
“Even after the game, I did not talk to the press,” said Jodoin. “I told them to write down whatever they were going to write down because I would have said something I shouldn’t have.”
In that game, Lewiston received 42 minutes in penalties to Chicoutimi’s 29, and the power plays were skewed in favor of the home team 10-4.
“It was just stupid,” said Jodoin.
But now the Remparts are coming to Lewiston on short rest. The Maineiacs played Saturday and Quebec played Friday. Both are coming off of losses, but the Remparts have just two wins in 10 games, while Lewiston, despite losing two of three, is still 8-2 in its last 10.
“For me, I am not worried about Quebec. I am worried about my team. If I worry about their team, I am in trouble,” said Jodoin.
So reeling are the Remparts that they demoted captain Josh Hennessy. According to reports published in Le Soleil, Quebec’s daily newspaper, he was relieved of his duties for “inappropriate behavior.”
For Lewiston, Tuesday’s game will be a challenge after an emotional weekend on the road.
“We talked about that this morning,” said Jodoin, “about how we were going to deal with that, what is our game plan. We are thinking about a defensive game, for sure, but the biggest thing is to channel our energy in the right place. We need to be aggressive, but use that energy right, not lose our temper.”
Lewiston also has two other home games this week, facing Drummondville and PEI on Friday and Saturday, and will likely get both Bourret and Denny back for those games.
Travel hassle
Two full buses of Lewiston fans made a trip to Quebec over the weekend for Winter Carnival. On Saturday, the fans made the extra two-hour jaunt North to Chicoutimi to take in the Maineiacs second game on their own two-day trip.
As things got rougher on the ice, many Chicoutimi fans became upset with Jodoin, even tossing bottles and coins at the Maineiacs’ coach.
“They were bad. They were narrow-minded,” said Jodoin on Monday.
On the radio between the second and third periods, trip leader Sheila Blanchette went on the air with a quasi-plea to the rest of the fans listening on the radio. Asked by announcer Frank Stetson what she thought the team needed, her response was, “More fans. Right now we’re outnumbered 4,000 to 100. Send us reinforcements.”
Following the game, the travelers immediately boarded the busses and headed back to Quebec, returning on Sunday to Lewiston.
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