UMaine capsules

MEN’S HOCKEY

Maine vs. Providence College

Time, site: Friday, Saturday, 7 p.m.; Schneider Arena, Providence, R.I.

Records: Maine 16-9-5 (10-5-3 Hockey East); Providence 14-14-4 (8-9-2 HE)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 46-28-2; Maine 5-4 on 1/4/02

Key players: Maine – RW Colin Shields (20 goals, 12 assists), RW Niko Dimitrakos (14 & 18), C Martin Kariya (13 & 19), D Peter Metcalf (5 & 25), C Tommy Reimann (11 & 17), C Robert Liscak (12 & 12), G Mike Morrison (13-3-3, 2.10 GAA, .929 save percentage); Providence – RW Jon DiSalvatore (14 & 23), C Peter Fregoe (15 & 20), LW Drew Omicioli (13 & 16), C Devin Rask (11 & 17), D Stephen Wood (4 & 16), D Regan Kelly (6 & 9), G Nolan Schaefer (11-13-4, 3.32, .900)

Outlook: The Bears will be looking to snap their first two-game losing streak since October. Maine has had its problems on the road (4-6-2), but Providence is only 7-5-3 at home. The Friars were picked to win Hockey East in the preseason coaches poll but have been mistake-prone. They have played better of late (4-2-1). Maine has to return to playing tenacious team defense after surrendering a whopping 67 high-percentage scoring opportunities in the losses at Boston College and Merrimack last weekend. Maine is 10-2-1 in the last 13 meetings between the two. DiSalvatore has points in 12 straight games (4 & 16) and his line with Fregoe and Peter Zingoni will be dangerous as will the line of Omicioli-Rask-Cody Loughlean.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Maine vs. Princeton

Time, site: Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 3 p.m.; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 14-12-2, Princeton 13-6-2

Series, last meeting: Princeton leads 6-0; Princeton 3-1 on 2/24/01

Key players: Maine – LW Meagan Aarts (21 goals and 19 assists), RW Karen Droog (21 & 10), D Kelly Nelson (3 & 15), C Nicole Munro (6 & 8), C Cheryl White (4 & 10), D Tracy Caridade (5 & 7), G Dawn Froats (7-4, 2.83 GAA, .895); Princeton – LW Gretchen Anderson (17 & 10), C Lisa Rasmussen (9 & 13), RW Susan Hobson (8 & 10), D Aviva Grumet-Morris (5 & 11), RW Melissa Deland (9 & 5), G Megan Van Beusekom (8-3, 1.89, .926), G Sarah Ahlquist (5-3-2, 1.66, .921)

Outlook: Maine has won six straight, including impressive road wins against the nation’s No. 2-ranked (Northeastern) and No. 10-ranked teams (New Hampshire). Princeton has held teams to two goals or less 14 times. The Tigers are ranked 10th in the country thanks to a four-game winning streak and victories in seven of their last eight games. C-W Andrea Steranko, who has 11 points in 16 games but has been sidelined for 12 games with pancreatitis, will return to the Bear lineup this weekend. The Bears will have to keep a watchful eye on Anderson and linemates Hobson and Nikola Holmes. The Tigers will have to neutralize the Maine line of Aarts-Munro-Droog. Droog scored the overtime game-winner in Maine’s 4-3 victory over Northeastern last Saturday.