MAINE men vs. UMASS-LOWELL

Time, site: 7 p.m.; Tsongas Arena, Lowell, Mass.

Records: Maine 3-3-2 overall (1-1-1 Hockey East), UMass-Lowell 3-5 (1-5 HE)

Series/last meeting: Maine leads 43-20-2; Maine 4-3 on Feb. 19

Key players: Maine – C Chris Heisten (1 goal, 6 assists), RW Matthias Trattnig (3 & 3), C Martin Kariya (3 & 3), C Lucas Lawson (2 & 4), D Peter Metcalf (2 & 3), D Doug Janik (1 & 3), G Matt Yeats (2-2-1, 2.83 goals-against average, .885 save percentage); UMass-Lowell – D Ron Hainsey (2 & 10), LW Kyle Kidney (4 & 3), C Laurent Meunier (3 & 3), C Dan Fontas (2 & 4), RW Yorick Treille (4 & 1), D Josh Reed (1 & 5), G Jimi St. John (3-3, 3.23, .836)

Outlook: Maine has won the last seven meetings and is 11-0-1 in the last 12. The River Hawks are coming off a 4-2 win over Boston University and a 5-4 loss to Merrimack. Maine beat Merrimack 6-2 in its last game. The River Hawks are an aggressive forechecking team which can sustain the forecheck. Maine will have to weather the UML

forecheck and make sure the front of the net is covered. The Bears should be able to generate odd-man rushes off transition. UML is next-to-last in penalty killing percentage in Hockey East games (64.9 percent) while Maine has the league’s most proficient power play (35.7 percent). The return of junior RW Niko Dimitrakos from a broken wrist should bolster the Bear attack and power play. UMass-Lowell can’t afford to turn the puck over in the neutral zone. Both goalies have had their ups-and-downs.

MAINE women vs. CORNELL

Time, site: Friday, 7 p.m., Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Cornell 2-2 (2-2 ECAC), Maine 3-3 (1-3 ECAC)

Series/last meeting: Cornell leads 3-1; Maine 2-1 on 3/5/00

Key players: Cornell – F Jenel Bode (1 goal, 4 assists), D Briana Jentner (3 & 0), F Lindsay Murao (1 & 2), F Sarah Olivier (1 & 1), D Brooke Bestwick (0 & 2), D Patricia Kemp (0 & 0), G Sanya Sandahl (2-1 record, 2.44 goals-against average, .891 save percentage); Maine – RW Jarin Sjogren (4 & 4), C Raffi Wolf (2 & 5), LW Karen Droog (4 & 2), LW Cindy Biron (1 & 4), D Kelly Nelson (2 & 2), G Amanda Cronin (1-3, 2.76 , .896), G Amanda Froats (2-0, 0.50, .967)

Outlook: The Big Red will be helped by the return of co-captain Kemp, who played for Team Canada in the Three Nations Cup Tournament in Switzerland. The Bears might be able to exploit the Big Red on the power play as Cornell has just a 69.6 percent efficiency rate. Maine’s power play has connected 25 percent of the time. Maine has allowed only 2.2 goals per game. Newcomers have scored 47 percent of Maine’s goals. Cornell has given up only 2.5 goals per game. Maine has lost three straight and can’t afford to dig itself a hole if it is going to challenge for its first ECAC tournament berth. Maine coach Rick Filighera has shaken up his lines, keeping just one intact from Sunday’s 5-2 loss to New Hampshire.

MAINE women vs. ST. LAWRENCE

Time, site: Saturday, 7 p.m., Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: St. Lawrence 3-2-1 (2-0 ECAC), Maine 3-3 (1-3 ECAC)

Series/last meeting: tied 2-2; Maine 3-0 on 3/4/00

Key players: St. Lawrence – LW Shannon Smith (6 & 4), C Amanda Sargeant (3 & 5), D Meghan Maguire (0 & 3), RW Trisha Powers (2 & 0), D Caroline Trudeau (1 & 1), G Rachel Barrie (2-0-1, 1.17, .945), G Emily Stein (1-1, 3.02, .912)

Outlook: The Saints are 0-2 on the road. St. Lawrence will be aided by the return of defenseman Isabelle Chartrand and forward Gina Kingsbury, who played for their Canadian National teams at the Four Nations Cup and Three Nations Cup (Under-22) tournaments in Utah and Switzerland, respectively. Maine and St. Lawrence have similar styles. Each one forechecks aggressively. The Saints have one of the best penalty-killing units in the ECAC, allowing only two goals on 21 chances (90.5 percent efficiency). Maine must try to create a fast tempo because the Saints should be a little tired from the long trip and skating on UNH’s Olympic-size ice sheet on Friday. Barrie was the ECAC Goalie of the Week after beating Northeastern 4-1 and Providence 2-0.