UMaine capsules

Men’s Hockey

MAINE vs. NORTHEASTERN

Time, site: Friday, Saturday, 7 p.m., Matthews Arena, Boston

Records: Maine 20-6-2 (11-4-1 Hockey East); NU 8-13-5 (2-10-4 HE)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 36-33-13; Maine 5-2 on 11/14/03

Key players: Maine – RW Colin Shields (13 goals, 19 assists), C Michel Leveille (4 & 24), LW Todd Jackson (15 & 7), D Prestin Ryan (3 & 12), D Troy Barnes (2 & 9), G Frank Doyle (14-3, 1.74 goals-against average, .923 save percentage), G Jimmy Howard (6-3-2, 1.44, .941); NU – C Jason Guerreiro (10 & 15), RW Mike Morris (7 & 16), C Eric Ortlip (10 & 8), LW Brian Swiniarski (11 & 3), D Tim Judy (1 & 10), D Donny Grover (1 & 6), G Keni Gibson (8-11-5, 2.79, .896)

Outlook: The Huskies are 8-4-3 after an 0-9-2 start, the worst in school history. Guerreiro has 19 points in his last 14 games and the crafty center and linemates Swiniarski and Morris have to be contained. Maine will try to utilize its speed and transition to take advantage of NU’s three freshmen defensemen. NU is averaging 2.7 goals per game and coach Bruce Crowder feels his team has to create traffic in front of Maine’s goalies. Ditto for Maine against NU junior Keni Gibson, who struggled last season but has returned to the impressive form he exhibited as a freshman. Maine has won the last four meetings and has a 7-1-1 edge over the last nine games. NU outshot UMass-Lowell 47-19 in a 1-1 tie last Friday. Jackson has 4 & 2 in his last four games.

Women’s Hockey

MAINE vs. NEW HAMPSHIRE

Time, site: Friday, 4 p.m.; Saturday, noon; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 8-12-3 (5-6-1 Hockey East); UNH 14-8-3 (9-1-1 HE)

Series, last meeting: UNH leads 14-1, UNH 3-0 on 1/17/04

Key players: Maine – LW Meagan Aarts (7 goals, 9 assists), RW Karen Droog (6 & 8), C Tristan Desmet (6 & 5), RW Sonia Corriveau (8 & 2), D Morgan Janusc (1 & 7), D Kelly Law (2 & 3), G Lara Smart (6-12-3, 2.49 goals-against average, .920); UNH – RW Carolyn Gordon (15 & 11), LW Lindsay Hansen (9 & 17), D Kristen Thomas (2 & 22), RW Rebecca Paul (7 & 15), LW Stephanie Jones (10 & 11), D Allison Edgar (7 &11), G Melissa Bourdon (10-5-1, 1.75, .924)

Outlook: These teams are going in opposite directions. UNH, ranked ninth in the country, is 7-1-1 in its last nine and has won six of its last seven while Maine is 1-5 in its last six. Maine has mustered only seven goals in those six games. UNH scored nine in its last game alone (9-2 win over Northeastern). Smart and the other Bear veterans are going to have to be at the top of their games. Thomas and Edgar are two of the top offensive defensemen in the country. UNH is an excellent forechecking team. The Bears are going to have to protect the front of their net. Maine finds itself in a three-way tie for third place and just two of the three will make the playoffs. Janusc’s return will bolster the Bear defense. She missed last weekend’s 4-2, 5-0 losses at Providence due to illness.