MAINE vs. MERRIMACK

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

Records: Maine 9-6-1 (5-3 Hockey East); Merrimack 4-9-1 (1-7 HE)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 46-8-4, Maine 3-0 on Oct. 29

Key players: Maine – C Derek Damon (9 goals, 7 assists), RW Brent Shepheard (6 & 5), RW John Ronan (5 & 6), C Jon Jankus (4 & 7), LW Greg Moore (7 & 3), D Mike Lundin (0 & 8), G Jimmy Howard (8-6-1, 2.32 goals-against average, .911 save percentage); Merrimack – LW Mike Alexiou (8 & 5), D Bryan Schmidt (6 & 7), D Jeff Caron (3 & 10), C Matt Byrnes (1 & 9), RW Jordan Black (7 & 2), RW Matt Johnson (3 & 6), G Jim Healey (3-6-1, 4.05, .880)

Outlook: Maine has won the last 11 meetings between the two at Alfond Arena and the last eight overall. The Warriors are coming off a 5-2 Sunday win over Providence in the Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee Pot tourney final. Alexiou was the tourney MVP and Hockey East Player of the Week with three goals in two games. Maine will have to stay out of the penalty box because 20 of Merrimack’s 41 goals have come on the power play. Alexiou and Schmidt each have six PPGs and the Bears will have to keep an eye on them. The Warriors are 20-for-102 (19.6 percent) with the man advantage. Maine has given up five PPGs in its last four games but is third nationally in penalty-killing at 89.9 percent. The Bears will have to do a better job getting the puck to the net front than they did in their 0-0 tie at Dartmouth last Saturday.