QMJHL Weekend Preview

Published on January 14, 2011 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Lewiston MAINEiacs News Release


Lewiston, ME (QMJHL) - Thursday night began a brand new week of games for the Lewiston MAINEiacs, but the end result is beginning to look pleasantly familiar for the fans in Androscoggin County. The MAINEiacs lit the lamp nine times in a 9-3 whipping of the Halifax Mooseheads, giving Lewiston a 4-1 homestand, as well as eight wins in their last ten games overall. Nine of those ten contests have featured at least five goals for the MAINEiacs, who are now second in the QMJHL with 183 goals scored. Michael Chaput and Etienne Brodeur were two of many Lewiston players with tremendous performances on Thursday. Brodeur netted a hat trick, while Chaput recorded five points, including his third straight two-goal game. The win gives the MAINEiacs a 29-14-0-2 record (60 points), which remains good for second place in the Telus East Division, while also putting them into a tie for fourth place overall.

This weekend, the MAINEiacs will play their final two games of the season against the division rival Victoriaville Tigres at Colisee Desjardins. The first four tilts between the two squads have been somewhat unpredictable, as Lewiston has two blowout wins (7-2 & 7-1), while Victoriaville has relied on defense in their two wins (4-2 & 4-1). The Tigres enter the weekend with a record of 23-18-1-2 (49 points), which puts them eleven points behind the MAINEiacs in the Telus East Division. Rimouski is three points behind Victoriaville for third, but the Tigres do have one game in hand.

Who's Hot for the MAINEiacs

26-F-Michael Chaput (has 15 points in his last 6 games)

73-F-Matt Bissonnette (has 11 points in his last 6 games)

23-F-Etienne Brodeur (has 10 points in his last 6 games)

44-D-Olivier Dame-Malka (has 10 points in his last 6 games)

71-F-Kirill Kabanov (has 6 points in his last 4 games)

55-D-Sam Carrier (has 5 points in his last 4 games)

31-G-Nicholas Champion (has won 2 straight games, stopping 41 of 42 shots)

1-G-Andrey Makarov (has won 2 straight games, stopping 62 of 67 shots)

Learning the Opposition

Victoriaville Tigres

Established in 1987

1 President's Cup (2002)

Notable Alumni: Alexandre Daigle, Jason Demers, Mathieu Garon, PJ Stock, Antoine Vermette

NHL Draft Picks

Samuel Groulx (San Jose)

Who to Watch for

7-F-Philippe Maillet (22 goals, 30 assists, 52 points in 44 games)

21-F-Phillip Danault (16 goals, 31 assists, 47 points in 42 games)

23-F-Yanni Gourde (16 goals, 31 assists, 47 points in 44 games)

19-F-Brandon Hynes (26 goals, 20 assists, 46 points in 42 games)

9-F-Guillaume Goulet (19 goals, 11 assists, 30 points in 35 games)

13-F-Yannick Dube (11 goals, 17 assists, 28 points in 35 games)

34-D-Pierre-Luc Pelletier (5 goals, 20 assists, 25 points in 43 games)

39-G-Antonio Mastropietro (13-9-2 record, 3.05 GAA, .900 Sv%, 1 shutout in 30 games)

Special Teams

Lewiston Power Play: 36-for-185 (19.5%), 12th

Victoriaville Power Play: 35-for-161 (21.7%), 10th

Lewiston Penalty Kill: 188-for-231 (81.4%), 5th

Victoriaville Penalty Kill: 134-for-173 (77.5%), T-12th

Season Series

Lewiston 2, Victoriaville 2

All-Time Series

Lewiston 19, Victoriaville 13

All-Time Series in Victoriaville

Lewiston 8, Victoriaville 7

This Weekend in the Telus East Division

The Quebec Remparts will have a slow weekend, as they will only take the ice for one game. That contest takes place at Colisee Pepsi on Friday night, as the Baie-Comeau Drakkar pay a visit to the division leaders. This is the third match-up in as many weeks between Quebec and Baie-Comeau, with the Remparts winning both of the previous two.

The Victoriaville Tigres and Lewiston MAINEiacs will meet up for a pair of afternoon contests this weekend at Colisee Desjardins. The two games take place on Saturday and Sunday at 4:00.

The Rimouski Oceanic will have a pair of home games this weekend, as they continue to fight toward taking third place away from Victoriaville. Friday night's contest will feature a pair of fourth place clubs, as Shawinigan (winners of eight of their last ten) invades the Colisee de Rimouski. Then, on Saturday, the Oceanic will face Baie-Comeau, with both teams playing their second game in as many days.

The Chicoutimi Sagueneens are in the Maritimes Division for three games in three days. Luckily for them, the Sagueneens will avoid the Saint John Sea Dogs. However, they won't be able to avoid the next three teams in the standings, as Chicoutimi will have to face PEI (fourth) on Friday, Moncton (third) on Saturday, and Acadie-Bathurst (second) on Sunday.

The Baie-Comeau Drakkar will hit the road for a couple of battles within the division. On Friday night, the scene will be Quebec City, as the Drakkar will face the Remparts. Then, on Saturday, Baie-Comeau will travel to Rimouski for a showdown with the Oceanic.

Elsewhere in the QMJHL

The Gatineau Olympiques saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end on Wednesday against Quebec, and will look to get a new streak going this weekend with two games on home ice. Gatineau will play host to Halifax on Saturday, before a divisional game against Shawinigan on Sunday.

The Drummondville Voltigeurs will be joining Chicoutimi in the Maritimes Division this weekend, however, they will be faced with the tall task of taking on the Saint John Sea Dogs. Drummondville and Saint John will meet up twice at Harbour Station on Friday and Saturday, before the Voltigeurs complete their week long trip in Moncton on Sunday.

The Montreal Junior were starting to get threatened for first place in the Telus West Division, but a 5-1 win over Rouyn-Noranda on Thursday pushed their lead back to five points. Montreal will play one more game out west, as they will face Val-d'Or on Friday, before returning home on Sunday to take on Halifax.

Three other games are on the docket in the QMJHL this weekend. PEI visits Acadie-Bathurst on Saturday, before playing a home game against Cape Breton on Sunday. Finally, Saturday's other tilt features the Val-d'Or Foreurs and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies at Iamgold Arena in Rouyn-Noranda.

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from January 14, 2011


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