Maineiacs fall to Gatineau

The wait to 50 is over for Etienne Brodeur. The 19-year old forward became the first Lewiston MAINEiac to reach the 50-goal plateau, as he found the back of the net with 6:26 left to go in the third period. Unfortunately, Tye McGinn and the Gatineau Olympiques got the upper hand, as McGinn's four-goal, five-point effort helped the visitors to an 8-5 victory in front of 2,701 fans at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

The game started in similar fashion to Friday's tilt between the two sides, as both teams lit the lamp once in the first period. Cody Linteau put the Olympiques on top, deflecting in a cross-crease pass by Tye McGinn at the 6:58 mark. With 5:47 remaining in the frame, Lewiston evened things up, as Ian Saab's wrist shot found its way in.

For the second straight game, the second period got crazy. After a goal by the MAINEiacs was disallowed, Gatineau received a power play, and needed just 24 seconds to cash in, as Tye McGinn wired in a shot from the right circle. 46 seconds later, the Olympiques scored again, as Philippe Halley knocked in a loose puck. Igor Levitsky's backhand tally made the score 4-1, before Lewiston went on a surge at the end of the second. Sam Carrier snapped home a pass from Etienne Brodeur for his tenth of the season, before Cameron Critchlow's redirection off of Sam Henley's pass brought the home team within one. The MAINEiacs' two goals came 38 seconds apart.

In the third period, the Olympiques added to their lead with two power play goals and an even strength goal, separated by just 2:37. Tye McGinn was credited with all three markers, giving him four on the game, to go along with one helper. The MAINEiacs weren't about to let Gatineau cruise to victory, as two tallies in 1:29 brought them within two. Sam Henley redirected Olivier Dame-Malka's point shot for Lewiston's fourth goal, before Etienne Brodeur batted his 50th goal of the season out of the air. Philippe Halley finished off the win for the Olympiques with an empty net tally.

Francois Lacerte picked up the win for Gatineau, stopping 23 of 28 shots. Andrey Makarov allowed seven goals on 21 shots, before being replaced by Nicholas Champion, who was perfect on five shots.

The MAINEiacs will finish the 2010-11 campaign with two road games in Baie-Comeau and Chicoutimi on Friday and Sunday, before returning home to start the playoffs, tentatively on March 25th.

--MAINEIACS COMMUNICATIONS--