Men’s hockey

MAINE vs. PROVIDENCE

Time, site: Friday, Saturday, 7 p.m.; Schneider Arena, Providence, R.I.

Records: Maine 15-9-6 (10-4-4 HE); Providence 7-18-4 (2-13-4)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 51-30-4; Maine 8-4 on 11/21/04

Key players: Maine – C Derek Damon (11 goals, 13 assists), C Jon Jankus (7 & 13), RW Greg Moore (11 & 6), LW Mike Hamilton (3 & 12), D Bret Tyler (5 & 8), C Michel Leveille (7 & 5), G Jimmy Howard (14-9-6, 1.95 GAA, .918 save pct.); Providence – C Chris Chaput (7 & 17), RW Jamie Carroll (10 & 8), C Chase Watson (4 & 10), LW Jon Rheault (7 & 5), D Eric Lundberg (2 & 9), G David Cacciola (4-13-2, 2.94, .906), G Tyler Sims (3-5-2, 3.07, .900)

Outlook: Maine is 5-1-3 in its last nine games. Providence is 0-12-3 in its last 15 HE games. However, the Friars have three ties against BC, the nation’s No. 2-ranked team. Providence is averaging a league-low 2.24 goals per game. The last seven meetings at Schneider have been decided by two goals or less. Maine is 3-2-2 in those games. They have two of the three worst power plays in Hockey East – Maine is seventh and PC is ninth – so any power-play goals will loom large in this series. This will be tight-checking, in-your-face hockey. PC will try to create a controlled tempo and establish a forecheck, while Maine will attempt to generate a fast tempo to fuel its transition.

Women’s hockey

MAINE vs. NORTHEASTERN

Time, site: Friday, 4 p.m.; Saturday, noon; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 12-11-3 (3-9-2 HE); Northeastern 3-20-3 (2-10-2)

Series, last meeting: NU leads 10-5-1; Maine 3-2 (OT) on 12/4/04

Key players: Maine – C Tristan Desmet (12 goals, 14 assists), RW Andrea Steranko (9 & 11), LW Cheryl White (12 & 7), LW Sonia Corriveau (6 & 8), D Laura Maddin (0 & 7), D Kelly Law (1 & 4), G Rachel Gettings (12-11-2, 2.23 GAA, .888 save pct.); Northeastern – LW Crystal Rochon (7 & 13), C Amy Goodney (8 & 11), RW Nikki Petrich (10 & 6), D Lori DiGiacomo (3 & 10), LW Ashley Bielawski (5 & 5), C Marie Desrosiers (3 & 4), G Marisa Hourihan (3-20-3, 4.17, .902)

Outlook: Maine trails BC by one point for the fourth and final playoff spot in Hockey East and needs to capitalize against the last-place Huskies. Maine has lost four straight, scoring only four goals while being swept by nationally ranked Providence and UNH. The Bears had 122 shots on goal in those four setbacks. The top three point-getters for both teams are linemates. The Maine women are 0-5-1 at home in Hockey East play. Maine swept NU on Dec. 3-4. The Bears will need to do a better job of converting their scoring opportunities. They have to be tenacious in front of the NU net and generate some garbage goal situations. Gettings has to rebound from a tough weekend against UNH.