MEN’S HOCKEY

MAINE vs. MERRIMACK

Time, site: Friday, 7 p.m., Lawler Arena, North Andover, Mass.

Records: Maine 4-3 overall (0-0 Hockey East); Merrimack 2-3 (0-1)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 45-8-4, Maine 3-2 on March 13

Key players: Maine – C Derek Damon (5 goals, 5 assists), RW Greg Moore (5 & 2), C Ben Murphy (2 & 4), C Jon Jankus (2 & 2), LW Brent Shepheard (2 & 2), D Mike Lundin (0 & 4), G Jimmy Howard (3-3, 2.52 goals-against average, .903 save percentage); Merrimack – RW Matt Byrnes (1 & 7), D Jeff Caron (1 & 6), D Bryan Schmidt (3 & 3), LW Jordan Black (4 & 1), C-W Mike Alexiou (2 & 2), D Rob Lalonde (1 & 1), G Jim Healey (2-3, 4.17, .882)

Outlook: Both teams will be without their top returning scorers as Maine’s Michel Leveille and Merrimack’s Brent Gough, both centers, are sidelined with a separated shoulder and broken arm, respectively. The Warriors will forecheck aggressively so the Bears will have to do a good job protecting the front of their net. Maine has won the last seven meetings. Maine coach Tim Whitehead said his team needs to be as physical as it was in a 5-2 win at Merrimack in January. Merrimack’s defensemen are good offensively and the Bears will have to pay attention to them. Merrimack has to get a good goaltending performance from Healey, who has been up and down. Maine will try to drive the net and create scramble opportunities. Nine of Merrimack’s 18 goals have come on the power play but the Warriors also have surrendered shorthanded goals in their last four games. Maine swept Merrimack in the Hockey East quarterfinals last season, 2-1 and 3-2.

MAINE vs. BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Time, site: Sunday, 1 p.m., Walter Brown Arena, Boston

Records: Maine 4-3 (0-0 Hockey East); Boston University 2-2 (1-0)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 41-39-7, Maine 1-0 on March 19

Key players: Maine – C Derek Damon (5 goals, 5 assists), RW Greg Moore (5 & 2), C Ben Murphy (2 & 4), C Jon Jankus (2 & 2), LW Brent Shepheard (2 & 2), D Mike Lundin (0 & 4), G Jimmy Howard (3-3, 2.52 goals-against average, .903 save percentage); Boston University – C Pete MacArthur (3 & 2), D Bryan Miller (2 & 1), LW Dave Van der Gulik (2 & 1), RW John Laliberte (1 & 2), C Brad Zancanaro (1 & 1), C Chris Bourque (0 & 2), G John Curry (2-0, 1.19, .951)

Outlook: Maine will play at Merrimack on Friday night while the Terriers are off until Sunday. Curry was a third-string walk-on who has emerged as the No. 1 goalie. The Terriers will send two men in deep to forecheck and their defensemen will pinch to keep the puck in the offensive zone. Maine’s defensemen can’t overhandle the puck. They’ve got to get rid of it quickly and use the boards and glass to chip it out of the defensive zone. The Bears have won four of the last five meetings. This will be Maine’s last appearance at Walter Brown Arena as the Terriers will move into their new Agganis Arena in January. Bourque, son of former Boston Bruins great Ray Bourque, and Maine LW Billy Ryan were linemates at Cushing Academy (Mass.). The Bears have scored 28 goals in their last five games at Walter Brown Arena. BU has won its last two games, 4-1 over Vermont and 3-2 over Providence. Maine beat BU 1-0 in the Hockey East semifinals last year.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

MAINE vs. BROWN

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

Records: Maine 1-0-1, Brown 0-0

Series, last meeting: Brown leads 5-0, Brown 1-0 on Nov. 7, 2003

Key players: Maine – LW Sonia Corriveau (2 goals, 0 assists), D Julie Poulin (1 & 1), C Tristan Desmet (1 & 0), RW Kate Sunstrum (0 & 1), D Kelly Law, D Laura Maddin, G Rachel Gettings (1-0, 0.00 goals-against average, 1,000 save percentage); Brown (last year’s stats) – C Jessica Link (28 & 20), LW Keaton Zucker (14 & 23), D Amy McLaughlin (6 & 19), C Margaret Ramsay (9 & 13), RW Krissy McManus (11 & 10), LW Katie Guay (8 & 13), G Marie-Pier Desbiens (1-0, 2.92, .854)

Outlook: Brown is ranked ninth in the latest USCHO poll and it’s easy to see why: Brown returns its top 13 scorers off last year’s 18-11-2 team and its top two lines have been intact for a couple of years. Maine will have to contain Brown’s speed and work hard in the defensive zone to neutralize the line of Zucker-Link-McManus. Sophomore goalie Desbiens appeared in just three games a year ago and is untested. Gettings is also inexperienced. Both teams will try to test the goalies by getting the puck on net and digging for rebounds. It will be Maine’s home opener. Maine notched a 2-0 win and 2-2 tie at Vermont two weekends ago. Poulin has been a pleasant surprise after sitting out last year due to ineligibility. She has a great shot.