Men’s hockey

MAINE vs. BEMIDJI STATE

Time, site: Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 8 p.m.; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 1-0, Bemidji State 0-0

Series, last meeting: first meeting

Key players (last year’s stats): Maine – LW Josh Soares (15 goals, 26 assists), C Michel Leveille (16 & 24), LW Billy Ryan (10 & 18), D Bret Tyler (7 & 16), C Keenan Hopson (4 & 19), D Mike Lundin (3 & 13), G Ben Bishop (21-8-2, 2.28 goals-against average, .907 save percentage); Bemidji State – RW Luke Erickson (16 & 19), C Ryan Miller (17 & 12), RW Rob Sirianni (16 & 13), LW Tyler Scofield (6 & 19), D Riley Weselowski (2 & 18), G Layne Sedevie (12-7-1, 2.46, .918), G Matt Climie (8-7-2, 2.70, .913)

Outlook: Coach Tom Serratore’s Beavers return four of their top five scorers and both goalies from last year’s 20-14-3 NCAA Tournament team. They went 7-7-1 against teams in the WCHA, CCHA and ECAC last year. “Maine is bigger and stronger than we are and they’re extremely difficult to play against. We’ve got to find a way to penetrate their defense,” said Serratore. Bemidji State has some swift-skating forwards who will hope to exploit Maine’s big defense. Erickson is the CHA preseason Co-Player of the Year while Weselowski and Sedevie joined him on the All-CHA team. Maine will have to take advantage of its superior size by taking the body. That should create turnovers and cause some confusion among the Beavers’ young defense corps.