Road Report from Saint John

April 23, 2011 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Lewiston MAINEiacs News Release


Greetings once again from Saint John, where it's a brand new day, the sun is shining (although, I'm hearing it is raining in Lewiston), and the MAINEiacs are hoping for a brand new result in game two tonight against the Sea Dogs.

From a Lewiston standpoint, there are a few different ways to view last night's game. On the one hand, that was playoff hockey at its finest. Both teams played with their hearts on their sleeves, leaving absolutely everything they had out on the ice in an incredible back-and-forth contest. There were fantastic goals, big time saves, and moves that some people could only dream about pulling off on a video game. At the end of the day, nearly six thousand fans at Harbour Station, and a bunch more in Lewiston got their money worth.

Unfortunately, on the other hand, when you are the team that comes up short, it hurts, especially during the playoffs, when you don't get that charity point for reaching overtime. Oddly enough, the game followed a similar script to game one against Montreal, and the postgame meal last night had the same feeling in the air. The opposing team went up 2-0 early, Lewiston scored four straight goals (and could have been five, if not for a disallowed goal in both games) to take the lead, the opposing team tied it, and then ultimately won it in overtime. Despite the setback, the good news in all of this is that the MAINEiacs have been down this road before, and if there is a team that has learned over the course of the season how to deal with adversity, it's Lewiston. We are seeing this team mature right in front of our own eyes, going from the most penalized team during the regular season, to a team that has become very disciplined and focused during the playoffs.

As far as the off of the ice portion of the trip, yesterday's practice was followed by a trip to Boston Pizza for lunch. The timing is a bit different here in Saint John, as we are one hour ahead of Lewiston (hence tonight's 6:00 face-off for those of you back home), plus this is one of the few places in the league where the visiting team practices first. Typically, the home team skates at ten, followed by the visiting team at eleven. Here (and Drummondville is like this as well), the visiting team goes on at ten, followed by the home team at eleven. Of course, this means an earlier wake-up call, but it also means that there is an extra hour in the middle of the day. Most of the players usually use that extra hour for some extended time on their pregame naps.

Following the game last night, the team headed back to Rocky's for another delightful dinner. A few fans and parents decided to join us, which I am sure the players appreciated, as there is nothing like support from those who care. Because of the late finish, the night after dinner was a short one, as the players then retreated back to their hotel rooms to rest up and get ready for today.

Today's schedule is similar to yesterday's, in the sense that there will be a lot of conserving of energy until it is time to hit the ice for game two later on tonight. The players were given an extra hour to sleep in, before a light morning skate for a few players, and a video session that followed for the rest of the group. As I mentioned yesterday, video is a vital part of having a successful playoff run, and JF Houle and Darren Rumble proved that last night, as they pounded down their dinners, before heading over to the hotel to start reviewing game one, while creating a gameplan for game two. This afternoon's lunch will be enjoyed at Boston Pizza, before some more down time leads to hockey tonight.

During the down time today, I will be spending some time on the radio, as Guy Flaming and Dean Millard will be interviewing me on the Pipeline Show, which airs on Team 1260 in Edmonton, Alberta. The interview will be conducted at 12:45 for those of you in Lewiston, and you can listen online through their website at http://www.thepipelineshow.com. For those unfamiliar with the Pipeline Show, it airs on Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings, and the show is focused on the top hockey prospects "coming down the pipe." Guy and Dean have had some very noteworthy guests on their show throughout the years, and they both do a fabulous job.

Speaking of positive publicity in the media, I hope you all got a chance to see the piece done by Bill Stewart in the Kennebec Journal and Portland Press Herald. If you haven't seen it, click the link here. The story tells about how the team endured two difficult years on the ice, but is quickly becoming one of the elite teams in the QMJHL. There are also a few comments about the team off of the ice, highlighted by Cameron Critchlow, who talked about what it was like to come to Lewiston in the first place. I'm sure that I speak for everyone in the organization when I say, "Awesome job, Bill! We really appreciate what you wrote!"

Hopefully, the MAINEiacs will get the opportunity for some more positive press tonight, as they take the ice for game two. I have heard that there will be even more Lewiston fans in the building tonight, joining the fine folks that were here last night, so I look forward to seeing you all once again. If you aren't coming up to Saint John, make sure to head over to Gippers, where I am sure that the atmosphere will be electric once again. Enjoy the broadcast and GO MAINEIACS!



Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from April 23, 2011


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