Game Day with Montreal

February 17, 2011 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Lewiston MAINEiacs News Release


Season Series

Lewiston and Montreal have met up three times thus far this season, with all three tilts going down to the wire. The Junior have come out on top in all three games, winning 5-3 in Lewiston on December 5th, before a 7-5 win in Verdun on December 17th, as well as a 5-3 victory in Verdun on February 8th. Two of Montreal's three wins have been decided in the third period, while two of the wins also featured an empty net goal for the two-goal margin.

One Left to Beat

The Lewiston MAINEiacs will be looking to make it 17-for-17 when it comes to defeating opposing teams in the QMJHL this season. In order to do that, they will need to win tonight's game, as Montreal is the lone team that the MAINEiacs have yet to beat in 2010-11. Lewiston has accomplished this feat once before, knocking off all 17 opponents during the 2006-07 championship season.

Their Special Team is Even Strength

One of the MAINEiacs' biggest strengths this season has been playing against their opponents at even strength. Lewiston has outscored the opposition 170-120 when the two sides are playing with even man power, with the 170 goals for being the second highest total in the league. The MAINEiacs have scored 54 special teams goals (39 PP, 15 SH), meaning that 75.89% of Lewiston's goals have come at even strength. That percentage is the highest in the league this season, as well as the highest in franchise history.

Another Eagle Flies to the Junior

During this year's trade period, the Junior acquired four new players, bringing in forwards Viktor Hertzberg, Alex Lemieux, and Raphael Pouliot, as well as defenseman Jean-Laurence Beauchemin. Hertzberg was acquired from Cape Breton, giving Montreal five former Screaming Eagles on their playing roster (Chouinard, Fontaine, Gouchie, Meilleur), as well as head coach Pascal Vincent, who picked up 312 of his 411 career wins behind the bench in Sydney.

Head-to-Head

Tonight marks the 11th all-time meeting between the MAINEiacs and Junior, as well as the fourth and final battle between the clubs this season. Since the Junior moved to Verdun from St. John's, they have had control of the lifetime series, winning eight of ten games, including all three contests this season. The two sides have met up four times at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee, with Lewiston winning the first game in a shootout, before Montreal responded with three straight victories.

Who to Watch for

Trevor Parkes leads the offensive attack for the Junior, as he has 26 goals and 48 points in 48 games. After that, the goal scoring couldn't be any closer, as Nicolas Chouinard, Viktor Hertzberg, Louis Leblanc, Philippe Lefebvre, and David Rose have all lit the lamp 17 times, while Jeremy Gouchie is lurking with 16 tallies. Blueliners Francis Meilleur and Xavier Ouellet don't have the same goal totals as the players listed above, but the two have dished out plenty of assists, along with fellow defenseman Charles Landry. Jean-Francois Berube is tied for second in the QMJHL with 26 wins between the pipes.

MAINEiacs FAN BUS NEWS

The MAINEiacs will be offering a fan bus for the last Maritime swing of the season on March 3rd, 4th, and 5th.

Lewiston will play one game in Halifax on the 3rd, followed by a pair games at PEI on the 4th and 5th.

Round trip charter for the trip leaves Lewiston at 3:00 AM on Thursday March 3rd, and returns after the game on Saturday March 5th.

Cost is $299 per person based on double occupancy.

Cost includes tickets for 3 games, 2 nights accommodations, and transportation.

To take advantange of this great opportunity, please sign up at the Fan Service Table under Section 7, or call the MAINEiacs Office at 333-FANS.

Seats are selling quickly - reserve yours now! (A minimum of 48 people will be required.)



Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from February 17, 2011


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