The University of Maine Black Bears will battle the Providence College Friars in Hockey East semifinal action Friday at 8 p.m. in the FleetCenter in Boston.

The Friars, seeded third, won their quarterfinal series with a 4-3 double-overtime verdict over Boston University, setting up Friday night’s single-elimination game against No. 2 Maine.

Maine advanced by sweeping Northeastern Thursday and Friday in Orono.

Maine and Providence battled in the final weekend of the regular season at Maine’s Alfond Arena, where the Black Bears came away with a two-game sweep and the coveted No. 2 seed.

Top-seeded Boston College will battle No. 5 UMass-Lowell at 5 p.m. in the first semifinal Friday.

The winners advance to Saturday’s 7 p.m. Hockey East final at the FleetCenter.

If BC and Maine advance, it would offer a rematch of last year’s title game, a 2-1 thriller clinched by the Black Bears. Fox will telecast the game.

Providence 4, Boston U. 3

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Marc Suderman scored at 16:26 of the second overtime to give the Providence College Friars a 4-3 win in the third game of a best-of-three Hockey East quarterfinals series Sunday.

Suderman’s goal was after 96:26 of play, making the game the longest contest in Hockey East history and the eighth-longest in NCAA history.

With the win, Providence advances to the Hockey East semifinals at the FleetCenter, playing Maine Friday night

Providence improved to 21-11-5, while BU finished the season at 14-20-3.

Saturday night, BU defeated the Friars, 2-1, in the second game of the best-of-three serie.

Providence tallied the game’s first goal just 1:42 into the first period. BU tied the game 1-1 on Mike Pandolfo’s power-play goal, and Freddy Meyer had the game-winning goal at 7:56 into the second period.

Mass.-Lowell 2, UNH 1

DURHAM, N.H. – Jeff Boulanger scored two goals, including the game-winner with 11:35 remaining, as the University of Massachusetts at Lowell beat New Hampshire 2-1 Saturday night and advanced to the semifinals of the Hockey East playoffs.

The River Hawks won the last two games of the best-of-3 quarterfinal series, all played on New Hampshire ice.

On the game-winner, Boulanger curled around the Wildcat net and took the shot from just inside the faceoff circle. The puck appeared to deflect off goalie Ty Conklin’s glove and into the net. Steve Sionna got an assist.

The teams traded first period goals by Matt Swain and Boulanger.

Jim St. John made 30 saves for UMass-Lowell (19-15-3). Conklin had 18 for New Hampshire (21-12-6).

Boston College 5, Merrimack 1

BOSTON – Brian Gionta scored two goals within 30 seconds Saturday night, leading Boston College to 5-1 victory over Merrimack in the Hockey East quarterfinals.

BC (28-8-2) opened the scoring at 5:48 of the first period with Mike Lephart’s shorthanded tally. Nick Parillo evened the score for Merrimack (14-20-4) at 4:46 of the second.

Freshman Tony Voce put the Eagles ahead for good with his 10th goal of the year at 6:11 in the third.

Gionta added the next two goals, and A.J. Walker registered his second goal of the season with one second left in the game.

Clemmensen made 25 saves for his 25th win of the season. Merrimack goalkeeper Tom Exter made 43 saves as the Eagles peppered him with 48 shots.