LEWISTON — The Lewiston Maineiacs went through one of their high-tempo workouts Tuesday, two days after extending their win streak to eight games in a thrilling, 3-2 overtime win over Baie-Comeau.
The pace was about as fast as it has been at any practice this season. Drills were designed more around skating than around technique, and after several drills, the players were down on one knee or hunched over in the corners.
It was a rough, but necessary, day.
“It can’t always be the same thing every practice, and every once in a while, we work on conditioning as much as we do skill,” Maineiacs coach J.F. Houle said. “Later in the season, practices like these pay off.”
The Maineiacs are getting ready for a tough weekend of three games in as many days, including a pair against division-leading Quebec at the Colisee Pepsi in Quebec City. Those two games — Friday and Sunday — sandwich a trip to Shawinigan on Saturday.
More on that coming later on this week.
Here are a few items of note from the Maineiacs this week:
• Sam Henley and Andrey Makarov highlight the list of ranked, first-time draft-eligible players for next summer’s NHL Entry Draft, as selected by the NHL’s Central Scouting service.
Henley, whose brother Cedrick was drafted last year by the Buffalo Sabres, was rated the 18th-best prospect in the QMJHL among skaters by scouts.
“It’s nice for Henley,” Houle said. “He’s really under-rated, I think. It’s not all about points. He does more than that. he does a lot blocking shots, backchecking, he’s very good defensively. I’m very happy for him that he’s on that list, and I think actually as the year goes on, he’ll climb the ladder there.”
In 25 games this season, Henley has six goals and seven assists for 13 points, he’s a plus-3 and one of his goals has been a game-winner.
Makarov, meanwhile, is fourth among the five QMJHL goalie ranked by Central Scouting, despite a 1-5 record, a 3.88 GAA and an .873 save percentage.
“He had a great Under-17 tournament last year, and I think the scouts know him already,” Houle said. “It’s too bad for him that he hasn’t had a chance to play many games here, but he’s got a lot of potential, and we see big things for him in the future.”
• On the topic of goaltending, after earning his first win in his first start for the Maineiacs on Sunday, 16-year-old Antoine Bibeau has been returned to his Midget-AAA team in Trois Rivieres. There, Bibeau has a 7-3-1-0 mark, with a .903 save percentage and a 3.11 goals-against average.
In his place in practice, the Maineiacs brought Tyler Piercy back in. Piercy, who played a season at North Yarmouth Academy, has since been playing for the Woodstock Slammers in the Maritime Junior Hockey League. This season, Piercy is 3-0-1 with a 2.55 GAA and a .924 save percentage.
Makarov was not present at practice. he was close to returning from a groin injury this past weekend before taking a puck off the back of the head during warmups against Baie-Comeau on Saturday night.
“It’s something we’re going to have to decide here soon,” Houle said. “Playing three games in three nights for a goalie, it’s a lot mentally, and it’s also dangerous for injuries. We don’t want to risk an injury this early, so I doubt (starter Nick Champion) is going to go three games. He’ll get two games, and someone else will have to play the other game. I’m not sure who yet.”
As for Makarov: “It’s going to be a while,” Houle said.
• If it wasn’t enough that Etienne Brodeur is leading the QMJHL (and the entire CHL) in goals, he’s also getting it done in the classroom. This week, the league unveiled its students of the month for each team. Brodeur earned the honor for the Maineiacs.
Look for more from the rink this week, right here at sunjournal.com!
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