Women’s hockey

EASTERN WOMEN’S LEAGUE QUARTERFINAL

No. 4 Maine vs. No. 5 Providence College

Time, site: Saturday, 2 p.m., Schneider Arena, Providence, R.I.

Records: Maine 16-14-4, Providence 17-13-4

Series, last meeting: Providence leads 7-0-2, PC 5-3 on Jan. 4

Key players: Maine – LW Meagan Aarts (25 goals, 22 assists), RW Karen Droog (25 & 12), D Kelly Nelson (4 & 18), C Nicole Munro (8 & 11), C Cheryl White (5 & 11), LW Tristan Desmet (8 & 6), D Tracy Caridade (5 & 8), G Lara Smart (5-5-1, 2.65 GAA, .902 save percentage); Providence – C Jenn Butsch (16 & 14), RW Darlene Stephenson (13 & 15), LW Kim Mathias (5 & 22), C Danielle Culgin (12 & 14), D Kelli Halcisak (9 & 16), D Melanie Ruzzi (4 & 15), D Meredith Roth (7 & 9), G Amy Quinlan (7-8-3, 2.26, .891)

Outlook: It will be Maine’s first ever trip to the playoffs. The Bears went 0-2-1 against the Friars this season. Smart is 2-0-1 with a .912 save percentage in her last three starts. The teams are similar. Both use a 2-1-2 forecheck and are aggressive in the neutral zone. It will be a physical game as both also have size. Roth had two goals and three assists in the three games against Maine, Stephenson had a goal and four assists and Butsch had three goals and an assist. Maine will have be aggressive in the defensive zone and force the Friars to get rid of the puck quickly. Special teams will be critical. Maine has struggled on the power play (15.1 percent efficiency) and has had occasional problems on the penalty kill. PC has a good power play (21.8 percent) led by Butsch and Culgin with six power-play goals each.