EVERBLADES COLLEGE HOCKEY CLASSIC

Maine vs. Ohio State

Time, site: Saturday, 7:30 p.m., TECO Arena, Estero, Fla.

Records: Maine 8-5-3, Ohio State 9-6-1

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 9-1; Maine won 2-0 on Oct. 28, 2000 Key players: Maine – RW Colin Shields (16 goals, 6 assists), RW Niko Dimitrakos (9 & 11), C Tommy Reimann (6 & 14), D Peter Metcalf (2 & 14), C Martin Kariya (3 & 12), G Mike Morrison (5-1-1 record, 1.97 goals-against average, .930 save pct.); G Matt Yeats (3-4-2, 3.19, .879); Ohio State – F Scott May (6 & 6), F Mike McCormick (2 & 8), F Paul Caponigri (4 & 5), F Daymen Bencharski (4 & 4), F J.B. Bittner (4 & 3), D Jason Crain (2 & 5), G Mike Betz (9-6-1, 2.10, .925); Cornell – F Ryan Vesce (6 & 7), F Stephen Baby (2 & 11), F Sam Paolini (2 & 10), D Doug Murray (6 & 5), F Krzysztof Wieckowski (5 & 3), F Denis Ladouceur (3 & 4), G Matt Underhill (4-2-1, 1.83, .920); Northern Michigan – F Chad Theuer (7 & 16), F Chris Gobert (5 & 11), F Bryce Cockburn (6 & 9), F Terry Harrison (4 & 6), F Mike Stutzel (5 & 3), D Sean Owens (2 & 3), G Craig Kowalski (8-6-1, 2.50, .903)

Outlook: Cornell, 8-2-1, and 9-6-1 Northern Michigan open the tournament at 4 p.m. The consolation game will be Sunday at 4 followed by the 7:30 championship game. Ohio State has averaged just 2.8 goals per game but has allowed only 2.4. Betz made 58 saves in a 3-2 overtime win over Maine in Orono last season before stopping 32 more in a 2-0 loss the next night. The Bears will have to shoot whenever they can, crash the net and screen Betz. The Buckeyes will be without leading scorer R.J. Umberger (8 & 8) and Dave Steckel (2 & 6), who are playing for Team USA in the World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic. But OSU may use that as a rallying point. Shields has a six-game goal scoring streak. OSU has lost three of its last four, scoring five goals in those three setbacks. Maine has surrendered 12 goals in its last six games. The Bears are 5-1-1 in its last seven games.