One of the most storied rivalries in college hockey gets a different look this weekend.

For the first time in recent memory, the Bowdoin College Polar Bears and Colby College Mules will play back-to-back games.

They will square off at Colby College’s Alfond Arena in Waterville on Friday before turning around and playing at Bowdoin College’s Dayton Arena in Brunswick on Saturday.

Both games start at 7 p.m.

The Friday night game is a NESCAC game while Saturday’s will be a nonleague affair.

In previous years, the teams always played each other in December and February.

“We’re copying the Boston College-Boston University format. They play back-to-back and it hasn’t hurt their rivalry,” said 23-year Bowdoin College coach Terry Meagher, who doesn’t remember ever playing back-to-back games with Colby during the regular season.

“There are a lot of good things about it. You’ve got two tough games, which is good training for the athletes, and this is a good opportunity for their families and friends to come up [and see them play],” said Meagher.

Colby coach Jim Tortorella said he and Meagher are good friends and they felt this was in the best interest of the players.

“The December game was fine, but the February game was always an issue. It was usually on a Tuesday night during the stretch run and it became really hard on our kids with all the academic pressure on them and with all the games and the travel during January and February,” said Tortorella.

Meagher noted that it can be difficult for a lot of the parents to come up to a midweek game.

Both coaches also said this is a great way to go into the holiday break.

“It’s exciting and, from a practical point of view, it’s a good barometer to see where your team is and how they deal with a big game and a pressure situation,” said Meagher.

Tortorella compared it to the Maine-BU rivalry.

“It’s such a rivalry that there is a [certain] euphoria after a win and discomfort with a loss. And it affects how you go into the next week. It can have a lasting effect. This way, we get it done in two days, then we have three weeks off, and when we get back, we think about what our season is about,” said Tortorella.

Both teams will enter the series nationally ranked in the USCHO.com NCAA Division III poll. Bowdoin, 5-1, is ranked seventh and the 7-0 White Mules are 10th.

“That adds an unusual flair to it,” said Tortorella. “It hasn’t happened in a while.”

Both coaches have been pleased with their teams so far.

“We lost 11 players off last year’s team, so there were some questions. But I’m excited about the fact they’ve done what they’ve needed to do to win,” said Tortorella. “It’s a wonderful group to coach. We’ve received tremendous leadership from senior Jake Bayley and junior Greg Osborne.”

T.J. Kelley (4 goals, 10 assists), Josh Reber (1 & 12), and Osborne (7 & 3) are the leading scorers with Andy Cook (4-0, 2.25 goals-against average, .902 save percentage) and Ben Grandjean (2-0, 2.50, .911) handling the goaltending.

Meagher said his team is “pretty balanced by position and class.”

Greg McConnell (4 & 7), Adam Dunn (7 & 2), and defenseman Colin Hughes (3 & 6) have led the Polar Bears in scoring. Senior George Papachristopoulos (4-1, 1.40, .926) has impressively handled the goaltending.

The two women’s teams will play at 4 p.m. Saturday at Bowdoin.

Ray of sunshine at Bates

It has been almost three years since Zak Ray, in his senior year, led the Bangor High School Rams to their third Class A state basketball championship in four years.

Now, the 5-foot-11 guard, who transferred from Winslow High to Bangor after his freshman year, is serving a leadership role for another maroon-and-white hoop squad.

The Bates College junior point guard returned close to his old stomping grounds last weekend to lead his Bobcats to the Paul Bunyan Tournament title at Husson College.

“It’s good to be back. There are a few people here who used to come to my high school games, so it’s nice to see them again,” said Ray, whose NCAA Division III Bobcats are 6-2 and second in the New England Small College Athletic Conference standings.

Ray was named to the all-tournament team after averaging nine points and five assists in victories over the University of Maine-Fort Kent and Husson.

“It’s nice to see Husson, too,” Ray said. “I know a bunch of those guys from playing against them in high school, or playing with them in the case of Jordan Heath. I have a bunch of good friends on the team.”

Ray leads all NESCAC players with 20 steals and is fifth with 4.9 assists per game this season.