Let’s face it, playoff hockey is decided by goaltending. Every goal is magnified. So is every save.

The magnification is even more pronounced in college hockey because, after the league quarterfinal series, everything is single elimination.

And, as we all know, the best team doesn’t always win in hockey.

A goaltender can carry a team (i.e. University of Maine goalie Alfie Michaud circa 1998-99).

On Thursday, University of Maine interim head coach Tim Whitehead will tell Mike Morrison and Matt Yeats which one of them will get Friday night’s start against Boston University in their Hockey East semifinal at the FleetCenter in Boston.

They are both seniors, they both want to play and their coaches and teammates feel comfortable with both.

“We’re confident with either one of them in goal. They’ve both proven themselves,” said sophomore left wing Todd Jackson.

“We’ve got the best goaltending tandem in the country,” said senior defenseman and captain Peter Metcalf. “We play the same with either one of them in goal. We don’t have to play more defensive for one.”

Whitehead said, “I’ve got two good choices.”

Morrison won the starting job in November and has the better statistics: 18-3-4 record, 2.17 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage to Yeats’ 4-6-3 record, 3.10 GAA and .883 save percentage.

However, Yeats has far more playoff experience. Morrison made his first playoff start in last Thursday’s 7-3 win over Boston College in their quarterfinal series opener.

Yeats has a 10-2 playoff record, was the Hockey East All-Tournament goalie two years ago and had a .903 postseason save percentage last year en route to being named the team’s Most Valuable Player.

Maine enters Friday night’s game with an eight-game unbeaten streak (6-0-2) during which Morrison has gone 5-0-1 with a 2.40 GAA and a .892 save percentage while Yeats has gone 1-0-1 with a 2.25 GAA and a .913 save percentage.

Yeats has looked sharper.

BU is a team that generates more chances off its aggressive forecheck than it does its rushes. They like to throw the puck to the front of the net and converge, looking for rebounds and loose pucks.

Conventional wisdom would tell you the quicker of the two goalies and the one who recovers better from the initial shot would be the better choice.

That would be Yeats.

Yeats played better in the 4-4 tie with BU in Boston two weekends ago than Morrison did in the 9-6 win the previous night.

But Morrison made a couple critical saves after BU had rallied to within 8-6 from an 8-3 deficit.

One thing Morrison has done better than Yeats this year is win.

And that’s the name of the game.

Morrison is bigger and more adventurous, causing the Alfond Arena faithful some anxious moments, and has given up more soft goals lately.

But he has earned Friday’s start and received an endorsement from his partner.

“I would lean toward Mike. He has played so well for us all year,” said the classy Yeats.

No NCAA guarantee as yet

Maine’s sweep of Boston College in the Hockey East quarterfinals probably earned the Bears a fourth straight NCAA appearance, but a win over BU would firm it up.

Remember, the only automatic bids are awarded to the tournament champions in five leagues.

A rash of upsets could cause some seat-squirming in Orono even though the Bears are currently sixth in the Pairwise Rankings system that mimics the NCAA tourney selection process.

New Hampshire leads the Pairwise Rankings followed by Minnesota, Denver, Boston University and Michigan State.

Larry Mahoney’s Column runs every Wednesday. He can be contacted at 990-8231 or by email at lmahoney@bangordailynews.net.