Lewiston, ME – After a 2-1 victory on Saturday night, the Lewiston Maineiacs are now winners of their first playoff game in three years, but more importantly they have evened up their best-of-seven series with the Moncton Wildcats having split a pair of matchups at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

“It is a good building point, it’s been a long time coming,” Maineiacs coach J.F. Houle. “I thought we competed hard and blocked a lot of shots. We got into a bit of penalty trouble in the second but I think our PK unit did a great job.”

The Maineiacs saw the return of their 50-goal scorer Etienne Brodeur who avoided suspension after a game misconduct for a check from behind on Friday night; however, it was the return of another player that yielded the deciding goal in this one.

Olivier Dame-Malka, who was benched by Houle for the final two periods in game one for undisciplined play, was back in the lineup on Saturday. Early in the second period Malka made his presence known on the score sheet when he sniped a slap shot in transition from the blue line off the bottom on the crossbar past Brandon Thibeau to put Lewiston on top, 2-0.

The Maineiacs were able to grab the first lead of the game thanks to a brilliant individual effort goal from Michael Chaput who weaved his way around a pair of Moncton defenders before depositing the puck in the back of the net at 5:59 of the first period.

“I just cut across the ice and then I looked for an opening for a pass and all the d-men just fell asleep so I took it to the net,” said Chaput. “When you pull a move like that you just you just shoot. I almost closed my eyes and shot, so I can’t say I called that.”

Dillon Fournier and Zachary Shannon were credited with assists on the Chaput goal.

Much of the first half was played with each side looking to establish themselves in the offensive end with little success. There were only eight shots combined in the period, the Maineiacs had six of them.

After Malka’s goal the discipline seemed to evade the Maineiacs in the second period, as they were sent to the penalty box and gave the Wildcats a power play on four separate occasions. Brodeur, who was sent off last night for checking from behind, was sent to the box for a two-minute minor of the same infraction at 4:12.

“It was more hard-working penalties, but still,” said Houle of the penalties Lewiston took in the second. “You can’t use your stick and you got to skate. It is just the little things.

While Lewiston was able to kill off all four penalties according to the score sheet, the final kill did them no favors as Moncton was able to score to make it 2-1. While Cameron Critchlow made his way from the penalty box back into the run of play, Alex Saulnier delivered a cross ice feed to his brother Allain Saulnier, who one timed the puck from below the left circle past Nicholas Champion.

“I was a little bit late but I actually almost had it. It was a pretty good shot just inside the post,” said Champion of the lone blemish.

Overall, neither team was able to produce any goals while on the power play. The Wildcats were 0-for-5 while the Maineiacs were 0-for-4.

Both coaches elected to go with the same starting goaltenders from game one. This time it was Champion who got the better of Thibeau. Champion finished the night with 17 saves.

“The guys did a great job of limiting the shots, so that helped a lot,” said Champion who only saw 18 shots on the night.

“We did a great job playing with the lead tonight. I think we did everything right, we kept it down in their zone as much as we could. I think the shots they did have I could track the whole way, so I think that is a credit to our defensemen and forwards for getting back.”

Thibeau made 25 saves in the loss, however he did keep the Wildcats in it with a number of gritty saves including a breakaway glove save on Pierre-Olivier Morin with 3:19 remaining in the second and his team trailing 2-0.

The series now shifts to Moncton where the two teams will battle on Wednesday and Thursday.

NOTES: Most reports say that Moncton forward Scott Trask, who was hospitalized last night after a hit from Brodeur last night, is doing well and has rejoined his teammates… Lewiston’s Antoine Houde Caron was suspended three games for his third period hit from behind…Lewiston’s Ian Saab and Moncton’s Marek Hrivik were each suspended one game each for throwing punches late during a third period skirmish on Friday.