UMaine Capsules

Men’s hockey

MAINE vs. NORTHEASTERN

Time, site: Saturday, 7 p.m., Matthews Arena, Boston

Records: Maine 9-3-1 (4-3-1 Hockey East); NU 4-8-2 (2-7-2 HE)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 42-34-15, Maine 2-1 on 01/28/06

Key players: Maine – C Michel Leveille (11 goals, 8 assists), RW Teddy Purcell (5 & 11), LW Josh Soares (4 & 10), LW Billy Ryan (2 & 8), D Bret Tyler (1 & 8), D Mike Lundin (2 & 5), G Ben Bishop (9-3-1, 1.88 GAA, .925 save pct.); Northeastern – C Mike Morris (6 & 7), RW Chad Costello (6 & 7), LW Dennis McCauley (3 & 5), RW Kyle Kraemer (2 & 6), C Joe Vitale (3 & 4), D Steve Birnstill (1 & 4), G Brad Thiessen (3-7-2, 2.72, .918)

Outlook: Freshman Thiessen, the Hockey East Player of the Week, stopped 52 of 53 shots in a 4-1, 2-0 sweep of Merrimack last weekend while sophomore Bishop posted his first shutout in 44 career games with a 30-save gem in a 3-0 win over Providence. Northeastern has scored only 15 goals in its last seven games while Maine has scored only 16 in its last six. Senior Birnstill, NU’s best defenseman, has missed the last three games with a back injury and is questionable. NU has been playing 14-15 freshmen and sophomores. NU has to prevent Maine from generating odd-man rushes and play with poise in the defensive zone because Maine will mount some sustained pressure. Maine has to match the intensity and work rate of the Huskies, continue to play thorough in-your-face team defense, and do a better job getting to the NU net.

Men’s basketball

MAINE vs. PROVIDENCE

Time, site: Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Dunkin’ Donuts Center, Providence, R.I.

Records: Maine 4-4, Providence 6-2

Series, last meeting: Providence leads 7-1; Providence 104-74 on 12/21/04

Key players: Maine – 6-5 G Junior Bernal (11.9 ppg, 3.8 apg, 3.8 rpg), 6-1 G Jon Sheets (11.8 ppg, 2.9 apg, 1.9 rpg), 6-3 G Kevin Reed (10.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg), 6-6 F Philippe Tchekane Bofia (10.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg), 6-6 G Mark Socoby (8.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.0 apg), 6-4 F Chris Bruff (7.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg); Providence – 5-10 G Sharaud Curry (16.5 ppg, 5.4 apg), 6-10 F-C Herbert Hill (14.8 ppg, 6.9 rpg), 6-5 G Weyinmi Efejuku (14.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg), 6-7 G-F Geoff McDermott (10.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 5.1 apg), 6-0 G Dwain Williams (7.0 ppg), 6-8 F Jonathan Kale (5.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg)

Outlook: The offensively balanced Black Bears will need all their weapons to come away with a win over the Big East’s Friars, who suffered their only loss to Maine back in 2000. Repeating that feat will be a very tall order for the Bears as the Friars feature balance, size, scoring punch, depth, and versatility. The only thing they don’t have a lot of is experience and leadership, with only one senior among the top nine players. Three sophomores are in the starting lineup, but that didn’t seem to bother PC when it took care of preseason top-25 pick Boston College 73-64 or blasted Rhode Island 95-66. Maine will need a near-perfect effort to topple the Friars, who are coming off an 85-67 loss to No. 7 Florida.

Women’s basketball

MAINE vs. SAINT JOSEPH’S

Time, site: Sunday, 2 p.m., Alumni Memorial Field House, Philadelphia

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 1-0; Maine 54-36 on 11/27/04

Team records: Maine 5-2, Saint Joseph’s 3-4 (through Thursday)

Key players: Maine – 5-8 G Ashley Underwood (13.4 ppg, 2.1 apg, 1.4 spg), 6-2 F Katie Whittier (8.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg), 5-7 G Kris Younan (7.6 ppg, .556 FG pct.), 5-10 G-F Amanda Tewksbury (6.9 ppg, 2.0 apg), 6-2 C Lindsey Hugstad-Vaa (6.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.7 bpg), 5-7 G Abby Greene (3.9 ppg, 2.9 apg); Saint Joseph’s (through Dec. 7) – 5-9 G Ayahna Cornish (15.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.6 apg, 2.6 spg), 5-10 G Whitney Ffrench (12.0 ppg, 3.3 apg), 5-8 G Timisha Gomez (8.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg), 6-1 G Jen Oyler (6.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg), 6-5 C Zoya Pavlovskaya (3.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg)

Outlook: The Bears look to regroup, expecting to be without injured senior standout Bracey Barker (wrist). UMaine got a taste of life without Barker in Thursday’s 72-64 loss at Holy Cross. The Hawks played host to Boston College, the Bears’ next opponent, Friday night. UMaine will have to get more production out of everybody, but much of the pressure will be on seniors Underwood, Whittier, and Hugstad-Vaa. Tewksbury and Tiffany Colon could help pick up the offensive slack. The Bears, playing the third of six straight road games, must set the tone with hard-nosed defense and take advantage of transition chances as they reconfigure their half-court sets. Saint Joseph’s is guard-oriented but hasn’t shot well from long range (26 percent). UMaine’s ability to attack the basket and draw fouls could be another key.