December 26, 2024
Sports

Men’s hockey

MAINE vs. BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Time, site: Sunday, 2 p.m., Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 8-1 (3-0 Hockey East); BU 2-2 (2-1 HE)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 42-40-8, Maine 4-2 on Jan. 22

Key players: Maine – C Derek Damon (5 goals, 4 assists), LW Billy Ryan (2 & 7), RW Greg Moore (5 & 3), LW Josh Soares (5 & 3), C Keenan Hopson (3 & 5), D Bret Tyler (0 & 2), G Matt Lundin (3-0 record, 0.33 GAA, .985 save pct.); BU – C Peter MacArthur (4 & 1), RW John Laliberte (2 & 1), RW Brandon Yip (3 & 0), C Brad Zancanaro (0 & 2), D Dan Spang (0 & 2) D Jekabs Redlihs (0 & 1), G John Curry (2-1, 2.84, .872)

Outlook: Maine has won seven straight. The Terriers have traditionally played well at Alfond Arena, going a respectable 4-6-2 in their last 12 games there. The last nine games in Orono have been decided by two goals or less. Maine is 3-0-1 in its last four home meetings with BU. The Terriers will be without injured Dave Van der Gulik, their leading scorer a year ago. The Terriers have plenty of speed up front and are a good transition team, so the Bears can’t turn the puck over or get caught flat-footed like they did in Friday’s 3-1 win over Merrimack in which they allowed four breakaways. BU has a veteran defense corps led by Redlihs and Spang. BU is coming off a 4-2 win over previously unbeaten Vermont Friday. The teams have scored only 13 goals in their last five meetings. Lundin has a scoreless string spanning 135 minutes, 28 seconds.


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