Men’s hockey

MAINE vs. ALABAMA-HUNTSVILLE

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

Records: Maine 19-6-1, Alabama-Huntsville 9-9-2

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 6-0; Maine 5-1 on 11/2/96

Key players: Maine – RW Colin Shields (13 goals, 16 assists), C Michel Leveille (4 & 23), LW Todd Jackson (13 & 7), D Prestin Ryan (3 & 12), D Mike Lundin (2 & 11), G Jimmy Howard (6-3-1, 1.39 GAA, .942 save percentage), G Frank Doyle (13-3, 1.85, .920); Alabama-Huntsville – C Jared Ross (14 & 23), RW Craig Bushey (12 & 11), LW Bruce Mulherin (8 & 12), D Jeremy Schreiber (3 & 9), D Ryan Brown (1 & 11), G Adam MacLean (5-4-1, 2.50, .918), G Scott Munroe (4-5-1, 3.08, .905)

Outlook: Ross leads the nation in points-per-game (1.85). He is on a line with Bushey and Mulherin but speedster Mulherin’s status is questionable due to a shoulder injury. The Chargers, tied for second in College Hockey America, are 5-2-2 in their last nine games and haven’t allowed more than three goals in any of them. They are coming off a 3-2 loss and 3-3 tie with Northern Michigan. They are eighth in the country in goals per game (3.55) and penalty-killing (87 percent). Maine must play with the same focus and intensity it exhibited in last weekend’s sweep of New Hampshire. Maine would also like to keep its power play clicking after a 3-for-5 showing in the second UNH game. Maine is 10-1 at Alfond Arena. Maine’s 1.73 GAA is second-best in the country.