Playing their third game since Friday night, facing a team that had just outscored its opponent 13-4 in its previous game was probably not high on the Lewiston Maineiacs’ wish list.
Despite a brilliant effort by goaltender Jonathan Bernier, who stopped 43 of 47 shots, the battered Maineiacs fell to the Moncton Wildcats 4-1 in front of 4,820 at the Moncton Coliseum.
“We had no legs,” said Maineiacs coach Clem Jodoin, “no drive, nothing. (Moncton) has depth everywhere.”
Moncton outshot the Maineiacs 47-16, despite Lewiston having nine opportunities with an extra skater.
The surplus of shots allowed Bernier to shine. Despite the four goals, Bernier may have been the only thing standing between Moncton and another 13-goal game.
“He was very, very good,” said Jodoin. “He was our best player on the ice.”
And while Lewiston was short two key players (Marc-Andre Cliche and Chad Denny both sat with nagging injuries), Moncton’s missing links are finally starting to fall into place. Philippe Dupuis, who missed Moncton’s first few weekends, played in his second game Sunday, bringing his two-game point total up to two goals and five assists.
“I am not looking for excuses,” said Jodoin. “They have the depth, though. When you have the depth and the size at every position, it’s a much easier game. Maybe if we are not playing our third game in 60 hours, the game is a different game.”
Stephane Goulet opened the scoring for Moncton at 10:33 of the first period, during which Moncton (8-3-0-0) outshot Lewiston 12-4. In the second, goals by Christian Gaudet and Dupuis ran the score to 3-0.
The Maineiacs avoided the shutout early in the third when Sebastien Piche notched his first of the season on the power play on passes from Mathieu Aubin and Brandon Roach. Moncton added the clincher late on a Brad Marchand strike.
Lewiston (5-4-0-3) will host Cape Breton for a two-game set Friday and Saturday, the start of a four-game homestand.
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