Lewiston, ME – The Lewiston Maineiacs are the cardiac kids holding onto a 6-4 victory against the Gatineau Olympiques in front of 1,655 fans at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

“We hung on, we had a big lead, and they did comeback,” said Lewiston Maineiacs head coach Jean Francois Houle. “We never doubted that we were going to win this. We are starting to believe we are going to win.”

Michael Chaput iced the game away the eleven seconds remaining as he added an empty netter to complete the hat trick for his team-leading 15th goal of the season.

“I didn’t expect it,” Michael Chaput said. “I thought Billy (Lacasse) was going to put it in the net. It was a great gift and I am grateful for that.”

Both Houle and Chaput agreed playing against the extra man will help in the long run.

“That’s adversity, and I think you learn to win when those things happen,” Houle stated. “Now we know how to play 6-on-5.”

“It gave us a lot of confidence,” Chaput added. “We did it (Monday) and we did it again, and we are going to win games by more then one goal.”

Jean-Francois Plante gave the Maineiacs the 1-0 lead when he skated down the left side boards and let a slap shot fly from the left circle with 8:36 remaining in the first period.

“We have a great group of young guys,” said Chaput. “Everybody is excited to play hockey and we are playing as a group.”

Etienne Brodeur crashed the net and Gatineau’s netminder Maxime Clermont couldn’t eat up a Samuel Carrier shot from the point. Brodeur settled the puck down and slid the puck in with 6:13 remaining in the opening frame.

Lewiston’s hard work continued to payoff when Clermont misplayed the puck off the end boards, Michael Chaput hacked at the puck until it crossed the goal line at the 16:33 mark of the first period.

“I think our first three goals were rebounds goals,” said Houle. “(We) work hard and when you drive the net you have to pay the price.”

The goal spelt the end of the night for Clermont, who stopped seven shots on ten chances. In relief, Dereck Tait made 23 saves.

“Our start was weak, and I didn’t think our goaltender wasn’t on his game, that’s why I had to pull him,” said Gatineau Olympiques Head Coach Jerome Dupont. “We progressed as the game went on.”

Chaput crashed the net once again as the puck deflected off his body to give the Maineiacs the 4-0 lead 4:03 into the second period. Pierre-Olivier Morin and Etienne Brodeur each recorded their second assists of the game on.

“70 percent of goals are scored in front of the net and crashing the net,” Chaput added. “We need to keep doing that.”

Gatineau was able to solve Maineiacs goalie Adrien Lemay just past the midway point of the second period after David Kindl potted home his 13th goal of the year.

“(Gatineau) got the momentum that what happens when you short on defense,” Houle added. “We’ve been short on defense for a quite bit of games. (The defense) played well and the forwards worked hard.”

Brodeur had a chance to regain the four goal lead when Eric Gelinas fed him in the slot, but Brodeur rang the crossbar. Gatineau then got within two as Christian Ouellet slipped the puck home 2:13 into the third period.

Nick Huard scored his second goal in as many games as he snapped the puck from the slot at the 5:46 mark in the third period. Alex Beaton picked up the lone assist on the 4-on-4 goal.

The Olympiques notched their own 4-0n-4 goal as Hubert Labrie fired one through Lemay’s wickets with 6:21 to play. Adam Janosik got Gatineau within one as slap one from the blue line and beat Lemay on the far corner.

Adrien Lemay stopped 31 shots for his 14th win of the season.

The Maineiacs were 0–for-7 on the man advantage and the Olympiques were 0–for-3

NOTES: Oskar Orrpars made his Lewiston Maineiac’ debut as he got his release from the Malmo organization in Sweden.

Stephen Woodworth recorded an assist in Team Atlantic’s 10-4 loss to Team Pacific Wdnesday. Jordan Kennedy stopped 28 shots on 38 chances. Francis Beauvillier and Samuel Henley were held off the score sheet in Quebec’s 3-0 loss to Ontario