MAINE vs. BOSTON COLLEGE

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

Records: Boston College 3-1 (1-0 Hockey East); Maine 5-4 (1-1 HE)

Series, last meeting: BC leads 43-35-5; Maine 2-1 on 4/8/04

Key players: Maine – C Derek Damon (5 goals, 5 assists), C Ben Murphy (2 & 6), RW Greg Moore (5 & 2), C Jon Jankus (4 & 2) RW John Ronan (2 & 2), D Mike Lundin (0 & 4), G Jimmy Howard (4-4, 2.14 GAA, .918 save pct.); BC – LW Patrick Eaves (3 & 8), C Ryan Shannon (1 & 4), RW Dan Bertram (4 & 0), C Brian Boyle (2 & 1), D Peter Harrold (0 & 2), G Matti Kaltiainen (1-1, 2.50, .868), G Cory Schneider (2-0, 2.50, .886)

Outlook: The Bears have to contain the Eaves-Shannon-Bertram line. Eaves was the Hockey East Player of the Month, Bertram is a two-time HE Rookie of the Week, and Shannon has 5 & 4 against Maine in his career. BC will be without All-American defenseman Andrew Alberts (knee), while Maine will be minus Rookie of the Year Michel Leveille (shoulder), a center, along with RWs Rob Bellamy (shoulder) and Mike Hamilton (game DQ). BC has skill and speed up front, so Maine’s forwards must backcheck tenaciously. Maine has started slow in most of its home games and can’t afford to do so against BC. The Eagles will need a solid performance from its defense corps and will try to take the energized crowd out of the game. BC wants to avenge the 2-1 loss in the Frozen Four semis at the FleetCenter. BC coach Jerry York won his 700th game last weekend. Maine is 6-2-1 in the last nine meetings.