Men’s hockey

MAINE vs. BOSTON COLLEGE, UMASS

Time, site: Friday (BC), Conte Forum, Chestnut Hill, Mass. 7 p.m.; Saturday (UMass), Mullins Center, Amherst, Mass., 7 p.m.

Records (entering Friday): Maine 5-1 (0-0 Hockey East); UMass 1-2 (0-0 HE), BC 1-1-1 (0-0-1 HE)

Series, last meeting: BC leads 46-35-6, BC 2-1 (2OT) on March 18; Maine leads UMass 32-6-4, Maine 5-2 on Jan. 15

Key players: Maine – RW Greg Moore (4 goals, 3 assists), C Michel Leveille (3 & 4), LW Josh Soares (4 & 2), C Derek Damon (3 & 2), D Bret Tyler (0 & 1), D Steve Mullin (no points), G Ben Bishop (3-1, 1.73 goals-against average, .929 save percentage); BC – LW Chris Collins (3 & 1), RW Dan Bertram (2 & 2), LW Joe Rooney (2 & 1), C Brian Boyle (1 & 2), D Peter Harrold (1 & 1), D Brian O’Hanley (0 & 2), G Cory Schneider (1-1-1, 3.26, .896); UMass – C Matt Anderson (2 & 3), LW Stephen Werner (1 & 3), D Marvin Degon (2 & 1), C P.J. Fenton (0 & 2), RW Jamie Solon (1 & 0), D Mark Matheson (0 & 1), G Gabe Winer (0-2, 2.53, .934)

Outlook: Maine is 1-5-2 in its last eight games at Conte Forum. BC was 3-0-1 against Maine a year ago. The Eagles may have lost their top three scorers but they had an outstanding recruiting class; first-round draft choice Schneider is a first-rate goaltender and the 6-foot-7 Boyle was the MVP of the Hockey East Tournament. The Bears will need to pressure the young Eagle defense and get traffic in front of Schneider. They will also have to neutralize the line of Rooney-Boyle-Bertram. UMass has three elite players in Anderson, Werner and Degon and the Minutemen always give Maine problems on their Olympic-size ice sheet. Maine is 2-1-2 in its last five at the Mullins Center. Maine will benefit from having played twice at Colorado College’s Olympic sheet. Special teams will be important because the teams will have more room and more time with the puck on the power play. Maine needs to be physical in both games but they can’t be overly physical on the Olympic sheet because it tends to wear players out.

Women’s hockey

MAINE vs. SACRED HEART

Time, site: Friday, 7 p.m., Saturday, 2 p.m., Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 3-2-1, Sacred Heart 0-2-1

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 3-0, Maine 4-1 on Jan. 8

Key players: Maine – D Kelly Law (3 goals, 2 assists), RW Cheryl White (2 & 3), D Julie Poulin (1 & 3), RW Sonia Corriveau (1 & 2), C Sheri Wauters (1 & 1), G Genevieve Turgeon (2-2, 2.16 goals-against average, .899 save percentage), G Lundy Day (1-0-1, 1.71, .906); Sacred Heart – C Michelle Panella (1 & 1), LW Katie McLaughlin (0 & 1), D Jane Auxier (1 & 1), RW Gina Arnone (1 & 0), C Sarah Turbert (0 & 1), D Nicole Farrelly (no points), G Stephanie Boulay (0-2-1, 5.00, .887)

Outlook: Maine swept Sacred Heart 8-0, 4-1 last season but the Pioneers returned virtually their entire team and should be significantly improved. Each team has swept Robert Morris with Maine winning 3-1, 4-1 and Sacred Heart triumphing 6-0 and 5-1. The Sacred Heart-Robert Morris games were considered exhibitions. Panella had 29 goals and McLaughlin had 10 a year ago. The Bears have scored just six goals in their last four games and they have spent a lot of time working on their transition from defense to offense; getting the puck to the net and fighting for rebounds. Turgeon was the Hockey East Rookie of the Week after shutting out UConn 1-0 in overtime with 20 saves.