LEWISTON — He wasn’t even on the radar.

Alex Zafiris arrived in Lewiston in August with an invitation in hand. The Halifax, Nova Scotia native stood out only because he was the last name on the tryout list alphabetically, and with little fanfare.

“As coaches, you do go into the season with an idea about your team, you pencil some guys in,” Lewiston coach J.F. Houle said. “But it’s pencil for a reason, not in permanent ink.”

An 18-year-old forward, Zafiris performed well on the fitness testing to open camp. he survived a round of cuts. And another. And another.

“We were honestly going to cut him,” Houle said. “Then, he had a great game. he forced us to keep him, and he kept forcing our hand.”

When the Maineiacs announced their final roster, Zafiris was still on the team. When the players gone to NHL camps returned, Zafiris remained on the team.

Last weekend, on the team’s four-game road swing ro the Abitibi region of Quebec, he showed everyone why. The fourth-liner earned more minutes, and lifted his season points total to four, all assists. In nine games, he also is a plus-2.

All of our so-called fourth-liners, they’ve done a good job,” Houle said. “The thing about Zafiris is, he can play all the positions, he’s a smart player. He can play center, wing and he can also play defense if we need him to, so it’s a big help.”

Big guns (hopefully) rolling

It took a little bit of time, but, for now, it appears the Maineiacs’ top players are finally settling into the speed of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

“Whether you go up or down, it’s always an adjustment,” Houle said. “The speed is big, but the biggest part of it, whether you go up or down, is mental.”

Pierre-Olivier Morin and Michael Chaput, two of the Maineiacs’ top forwards, spent time at NHL training camps this fall, and their acclimation back to the QMJHL has been slow. Chaput finally put points on the board over the weekend in Val d’Or, and Morin found the mark against Rouyn-Noranda.

“We need those guys to be scoring, we need them to be leaders,” Houle said. “They seem like they’re getting there.”

Pink in the rink

The Lewiston Maineiacs continue to plug this weekend’s “Pink in the Rink” promotion, and for a good cause. Partnered with Mid-Coast Hospital, the promotion is part of a QMJHL-wide effort to raise awareness of Breast Cancer and Cancer research.

In addition to the players wearing pink jerseys, and some of them playing with pink sticks, the team will sanction a handful of giveaways centered around the cause.

According to the team, the following items will be a part of Friday night’s celebration:

• Doors open at 5pm for breast cancer survivors, with free mini-massages offered for survivors in the Shipyard Lounge.

• The first 600 women attending the game will each receive a courtesy flower.

• Prior to the drop of the puck, survivors will be honored in a special ceremony at center ice.

• Maineiacs jersey & goalie sticks raffle. Enter to win one of the Maineiacs’ pink jerseys or one of the goaltenders’ pink sticks!

• Mid-Coast Hospital’s Breast Health Center raffle. Make a donation at the Breast Health Center’s information table and automatically get entered into a raffle with prizes, including a steak & lobster dinner, plus an overnight stay, at the Driftwood Inn on Bailey Island; a professional massage; a handmade chocolate bouquet; a hand-crafted walking stick; and many other wonderful goodies. (Must be present to win; winners will be announced after the start of the third period.)

• Between the second and third periods, two local women’s hockey teams will duel it out. Each goal scored during the women’s game will generate a $50 donation to the Breast Health Center, courtesy of local businesses.

• An opportunity to mingle with the Maineiacs’ players, coaches, and staff after the game.

Last year’s “Pink in the Rink” game played in front of nearly 2,900 fans and generated more than $4,000 in contributions for the American Cancer Society.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and its 18 member teams each participate in “Pink The Rink” events throughout the month of October, raising more than $200,000 annually in the fight against breast cancer.

Area businesses are also on board, with each of the following selling tickets to Friday’s event at a discounted rate, with part of the proceeds going to benefit the cause:

Simones’ Hot Dog Stand (Chestnut St. – Lewiston)

Bedard Pharmacy (College St. – Lewiston)

Bedard Medical (Lisbon St. – Lewiston)

Play it Again Sports (Maine St. – Brunswick)

Just Framing (Front St. – Bath)