MAINE vs. DARTMOUTH

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

Records: Maine 11-2-1; Dartmouth 4-1-4

Series, last meeting: Dartmouth leads 6-4, Maine 4-1 on 1/6/02

Key players: Maine – RW Colin Shields (8 goals, 6 assists), LW Todd Jackson (9 & 4), RW Greg Moore (7 & 6), C Michel Leveille (0 & 13), D Troy Barnes (2 & 8), D Prestin Ryan (3 & 5), G Frank Doyle (6-1, 1.86 goals-against average, .922); Dartmouth – C Hugh Jessiman (5 & 5), RW Lee Stempniak (7 & 1), LW Eric Przepiorka (3 & 5), D Grant Lewis (1 & 7), C Mike Ouellette (2 & 2), D Brian Van Abel (0 & 4), G Dan Yacey (4-1-4, 1.93, .933)

Outlook: Maine is No. 3 in both national polls while Dartmouth is 12th. The Big Green have a solid nucleus back, including their top three scorers, from a 20-13-1 campaign. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Jessiman was a first-round pick (12th overall) of the N.Y. Rangers, the highest a Big Green player has ever been chosen. The sophomore had 23 goals and 47 points last season and Stempniak had 21 goals and 49 points. Maine is 4-0-1 in its last five, allowing only six goals. The Bears, 5-0 at home, are in a 2-for-37 power-play drought. Four of Dartmouth’s defensemen are at least 6-3. Both teams will forecheck aggressively and backcheck tenaciously. Maine is second in the country in GAA (1.79) while Dartmouth is fifth (2.11). Maine is fifth in scoring (3.93). Yacey stopped 80 of 85 shots in a 4-1 loss (empty-net goal) at BC and a 2-2 tie at BU.