Men’s hockey

No. 4 MAINE vs. No. 3 NORTH DAKOTA

Time, site: Friday, 8:37 p.m, Saturday, 8:07 p.m.; Englelstad Arena, Grand Forks, N.D.

Records: Maine 3-0, North Dakota 3-1

Series, last meeting: UND leads 12-3-1; UND 3-1 on 10/9/04

Key players: Maine – D Bret Tyler (0 goals, 6 assists), C Keenan Hopson (1 & 4), C Wes Clark (3 & 1), D Matt Duffy (2 & 2), C Michel Leveille (1 & 3), RW Teddy Purcell (3 & 0), G Ben Bishop (3-0, 1.75 GAA, .933 save pct.); UND – C Jonathan Toews (3 & 2), LW Ryan Duncan (2 & 2), RW T.J. Oshie (1 & 3), RW Darcy Zajac (3 & 0), D Brian Lee (0 & 2), D Taylor Chorney (0 & 1), G Philippe Lamoureux (3-1, 1.50, .933)

Outlook: UND has won the last five meetings and is 7-0 against the Bears in Grand Forks. Maine will have to neutralize the line of Duncan-Toews-Oshie. Toews and Oshie are first-round NHL draft choices. Those three combined for 62 goals last season, which was 18 more than any other freshman trio on a Division I team. Despite losing five important players prematurely, the Sioux return 19 off last year’s team which made its second straight Frozen Four appearance. UND plans to be alert defensively and play an up-tempo offense. Maine must limit UND’s time and space with the puck, and the forwards will have to backcheck effectively to help the defensemen counteract UND’s speedy forwards. Bishop needs to play well.