College Hockey

Ice Breaker Tournament

MAINE men vs. COLORADO COLLEGE

Time, site: Saturday, 10 p.m., World Arena, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Records: Maine 0-0, CC 0-0

Series, last meeting: CC leads 5-4-2; CC 3-0 on10/18/02

Key players (last year’s stats): Maine – C Derek Damon (14 goals, 13 assists), C Jon Jankus (8 & 17), C Michel Leveille (12 & 12), RW Greg Moore (14 & 9), D Bret Tyler (6 & 14), G Matt Lundin (1-0, 2.00 GAA, 928 save pct.), G Ben Bishop (first year); CC – C Marty Sertich (27 & 37), LW Brett Sterling (34 & 29), RW Joey Crabb (16 & 16), D Brian Salcido (7 & 23), D Lee Sweatt (3 & 25), C Trevor Frischmon (10 & 16), G Matt Zaba (10-5-2, 2.46, .916)

Outlook: Sertich won the Hobey Baker Award last season and was the nation’s leading scorer. Linemate Sterling was also a finalist. Sterling led the nation with 18 power-play goals. He also had seven game-winners and six game-winning assists. Maine can’t afford to take penalties. The Tigers had a 23.6 percent success rate on the power play last year. Maine’s forwards have to be tenacious on the backcheck. They must also be wary of the CC defensemen jumping into the play. Whichever goalie gets the nod for Maine, he is going to have to play extremely well against a veteran CC team that made it to the Frozen Four before losing to eventual NCAA champion Denver. Maine’s forwards should be able to create some scoring chances against a CC defense that lost All-American Mark Stuart a year early to the Boston Bruins. The Olympic-size ice sheet and altitude will definitely favor the Tigers.

MAINE women vs. ROBERT MORRIS

Time, site: Saturday, 4 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m., Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 0-0, Robert Morris 0-0

Series, last meeting: first meeting

Key players (last year’s stats): Maine – C Cheryl White (12 goals, 10 assists), RW Sonia Corriveau (9 & 10), C Brigitte Laflamme (5 & 11), RW Kate Sunstrum (9 & 6), D Julie Poulin (4 & 7), D Kelly Law (2 & 5), G Rachel Gettings (14-15-2, 2.38 GAA, .876 save pct.) Robert Morris – C Morgan Biekirch, W Kristin Miles, W Alisa Dorman, W Jamie Ferrentino, D Samantha Ullrich, G Quinn Caggiula, G Brianne McLaughlin

Outlook: Robert Morris, based in Pittsburgh, will be making its debut as a varsity program. Head coach Kevin McGonagle led Bowdoin College to the NESCAC championship in 2003-2004. The Colonials will play in College Hockey America. Biekirch was the first Colonial to sign a National Letter of lntent. She attended the USA Under-16 camp in 2002. The Bears will have several newcomers in the lineup and second-year coach Guy Perron will get to do some experimenting with lines and defense tandems. Freshman goalies Lundy Day and Genevieve Turgeon will probably get some playing time for the Bears. Maine averaged just 2.4 goals per game a year ago and would like to bury some pucks this weekend to gain scoring confidence.