College Hockey

NCAA Championship

MAINE vs. DENVER

Time, site: Saturday, 7 p.m., the FleetCenter, Boston

Records: Maine 33-7-3, Denver 26-12-5

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 10-5; Maine 4-3 on 1/1/00

Key players: Maine – RW Colin Shields (18 goals, 26 assists), C Michel Leveille (6 & 34), LW Todd Jackson (21 & 12), C Derek Damon (13 & 18), LW Greg Moore (15 & 8), D Prestin Ryan (4 & 18), G Jimmy Howard (14-3-3, 1.20 goals-against average, .957 save percentage); Denver – C Gabe Gauthier (17 & 25), LW Connor James (13 & 24), RW Lukas Dora (14 & 22), D Brett Skinner (7 & 22), LW Jeff Drummond (13 & 15), D Ryan Caldwell (15 & 12), G Adam Berkhoel (23-11-4, 2.52, .916)

Outlook: Both teams enter the game on a tear. Maine has won 10 straight, the last eight by a goal, and is 16-1-2 in its last 19, while Denver is 10-2-1 over its last 13. The Pioneer forwards are small but extremely quick. Seven of them are 5-foot-10 or smaller. Maine’s defensemen, with the exception of Ryan, aren’t fast, so they’re going to have to gap properly and not allow the Denver forwards space in which to get up a full head of steam. Maine’s forwards have to block out in the neutral zone to prevent the Pioneers from getting to the defensemen and establishing a sustained forecheck. Howard has given up more than one goal in a game once in his last seven starts. Berkhoel has surrendered only six goals in three NCAA Tournament games. Denver has outstanding scoring balance with eight players having scored 10 or more goals. Maine has five. The six Denver defensemen who played in the come-from-behind 5-3 win over Minnesota Duluth have combined for 109 points. The six Maine blue-liners who saw action in Maine’s 2-1 win over Boston College have produced 65 points.