Coach Rick Filighera has given his University of Maine women’s hockey team a week off to “recharge their batteries” before its Hockey East semifinal against Providence College on March 20 at 1 p.m. at Matthews Arena in Boston.

The Bears swept Connecticut last weekend 5-1, 4-3 to earn the third seed for the tournament.

Had Maine lost both games to UConn or lost one and tied the other, the Bears wouldn’t have made the playoffs.

The Bears are 12-15-4 overall and wound up 9-9-2 in Hockey East. Second seed Providence is 18-13-2, 13-5-1, with a game remaining against Boston College on Saturday.

Top seed New Hampshire (21-8-4, 16-1-2 HE) will take on No. 4 Northeastern (13-11-8, 7-8-4) in the 4 p.m. semifinal. The two teams will play a regular-season game against each other on Saturday.

“They need time off. It has been a very emotional year for this team,” said Filighera. “I told them to take a mental break from hockey. Not a physical one. They need to keep up their conditioning.”

Filighera doesn’t see the two-week layoff as a negative.

“It’s a big advantage for us. It has been a long season. It has been very stressful,” said Filighera, who will hold his first practice Sunday night.

Maine has won four of its last five games.

Filighera said junior center Tristan Desmet has been one of the keys to the recent success. She had a goal and two assists in each game against UConn.

“I think she has had points in every game in the second half,” said Filighera. “And [left wing] Meagan Aarts has had a good second half.”

He also praised goalie Lara Smart (10-15-4, 2.52 goals-against average, .920 save percentage).

Desmet, who has 12 goals and 11 assists, and Aarts (12 & 13) are linemates along with Cheryl White (3 & 9).

Maine’s other scoring line features Brigitte Laflamme (2 & 7) between Sonia Corriveau (10 & 3) and Karen Droog (12 & 8).

Season-ending injuries to centers Katie Sunstrum and Andrea Steranko have left the Bears with a third line of freshman Ksena Tatomir between freshman Kim MacElhaney and converted sophomore defenseman Katie Hartley.

“We’re going to need our third line to play very conservatively,” said Filighera.

Kelly Law and Naomi Smethurst have returned to defense after having been moved up to forward by Filighera.

Extensive work on the power play helped produce an impressive 5-for-8 showing with the man advantage last weekend.

But Filighera feels his team’s fatigue has hurt their defensive zone play lately and they will have to get back to basics.

“We’ve got to play a simple game: get the puck out [of the defensive zone] and get it in [the offensive zone],” said Filighera.

Serino enjoys trips to Maine

Merrimack College coach Chris Serino, who will lead his Warriors against the Maine hockey team in their best-of-three Hockey East quarterfinal series, has a fondness for the Maine fans because of the support he received from them while battling throat cancer the previous two seasons.

“I love coming up there. I just don’t like to play up there,” quipped Serino. “It’s a great trip. I like the atmosphere. I like the fans. They’ve been great to me.”

He is particularly close to Andy and Anne Britt and daughter Mary. The Britts’ son, Richard, was the Maine hockey team’s equipment manager when he died in 1999. Serino had developed a friendship with Britt and established the Richard Britt Humanitarian Award in his honor at Merrimack.

The award is given to somebody for their behind-the-scenes contribution to the hockey program.

Serino said playing Maine in the Alfond Arena is a lofty challenge.

“They’re a very difficult team to beat. They work so hard, they’re very balanced and they obviously have great goaltlending,” said Serino. “Hopefully, we’ll play hard and if we play smart, we’ll have a chance.”

MMA to hold polar bear dip

The Maine Maritime Academy softball team is organizing a polar bear dip in Castine to benefit the family of a former team member.

The leap into the Penobscot River will be held Saturday, March 20 as a fundraiser for the family of Penobscot’s Elise Bishop, last year’s starting first baseman for the Mariners. Her brother Taylor suffers from kidney failure.

The “Teams for Taylor” dip will follow a format where teams from the community will compete for the opportunity to stay dry.

Proceeds will be evenly split to help Taylor Bishop and help fund the softball team’s spring trip to Florida.

Elise Bishop, a former George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill player, isn’t on the team this season because she’s working, MMA coach Michael Keller said, but still attends team meetings and other functions.

Taylor Bishop lives in Penobscot with mother Janet Allen and stepfather Greg DeBeck. Taylor’s father, Tim Bishop, lives in Bucksport and is an employee at International Paper.

For more information call Keller at 326-2484 or email mkeller@mma.edu.

Lathrop sisters earn honors

Colby College sophomore twin sisters Jenny Lathrop and Abbi Lathrop both earned second-team All-America honors for the second year in a row with top-10 finishes in the women’s giant slalom at the NCAA Division I Ski Championships at the Sugar Bowl Ski Area Wednesday.

Jenny Lathrop tied for seventh with a two-run total time of 2 minutes, .22 seconds while Abbi Lathrop placed 10th in 2:00.64.

In the men’s race, Colby’s Warner Nickerson placed 10th in the giant slalom to also earn second-team All-America status. He finished in 1:53.30.

Husson ties Club Malcontente

The Husson College women’s soccer team tied Club Malcontente 1-1 in Venice Thursday during its first game of four in a weeklong trip to Italy.

Bea DeYcaza scored Husson’s goal.