With only eight regulars from last year’s team in the line-up Sunday evening, the Lewiston Maineiacs didn’t roll over in Levis, Quebec. Despite an early deficit, Lewiston fought their way back into the game to defeat the Victoriaville Tigres 4-2.

“I thought we started slow in the first period, but after that we picked it up,” said Lewiston Maineiacs’ head coach Jean-Francois Houle said. “For the most part we worked hard.”

The Tigres jumped out to a 2-0 lead within the first nine minutes of the contest as overager Chris Doyle potted a power play goal at the 2:42 mark followed by Angelo Miceli, who notched his first goal of the preseason 8:10 into the first period.

The Maineiacs settled down in the second period and Samuel Henley provided the offense, scoring 8:54 into the period with Colton Stairs picking up the lone assist on the play. With 1:27 remaining in the stanza, Stefan Fournier tied the contest up, with younger brother Dillon and Henley setting up the power play goal.

For the game, Lewiston was 1-for-8 with the man advantage while Victoriaville went 1-for-9.

Henley wasn’t done, just 90 seconds into the third period, he gave the Maineiacs the 3-2 lead. Christophe Lalonde, Lewiston’s 2010 second round pick, received the lone assist.

Coach Houle was impressed by Henley’s work this summer.

“He’s a little faster now and he’s always been a strong kid,” Houle said. “Being a year older, you see the difference.

Ian Saab sealed the victory with 90 seconds left with his first goal on the exhibition season.

Although he didn’t factor in on the scoresheet, Houle liked what he saw from newly acquired Cole Hawes from the Shawinigan Cataractes.

“He showed a lot of potential, he has some good speed and he’s pretty gritty,” he said.

Both Tyler Piercy and Antoine Bibeau were solid in net for the Maineiacs. Piercy stopped 17 shots on 19 chances through a period and a half. As planned Bibeau relieved Piercy for the second half the game and stopped all 11 shots he faced.

“Both goalies played well,” Houle added. “It’s nice to see we have some nice goalies.”

For Victoriaville, former Maineiacs’ goalie Dwayne Rodrigue and Brandon Whitby combined to make 18 saves in the loss.

NOTES: Lewiston players and staff will be on hand Monday afternoon at Riverside Cemetery around 4 p.m. to help with the restoration of the 150 markers that were vandalized Thursday night.