MAINE vs. BOSTON COLLEGE

Time, site: Thursday, 7 p.m., Friday, 8 p.m., Conte Forum, Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Records: Maine 19-8-2 (12-8-1 Hockey East), BC 16-11-1 (12-8-1)

Series, last meeting: BC leads 48-38-6, BC 4-3 (OT) on 11/19/06

Key players: Maine – RW Teddy Purcell (14 goals, 20 assists), LW Josh Soares (16 & 16), C Michel Leveille (13 & 18), D Bret Tyler (3 & 16), D Mike Lundin (6 & 10), G Ben Bishop (17-7-2, 2.14 GAA, .922 save pct.), G Dave Wilson (2-1, 2.26, .922); BC – C Brian Boyle (13 & 17), RW Benn Ferriero (13 & 14), LW Joe Rooney (10 & 17), LW Nathan Gerbe (14 & 8), RW Brock Bradford (9 & 12), D Brett Motherwell (2 & 11), G Cory Schneider (16-11-1, 2.32, .918)

Outlook: This series has league and NCAA Tournament ramifications. They are tied for third in Hockey East and would like to finish in the top four to get home ice for the HE Tournament. BC lost a physical and emotional Beanpot Tournament final to BU (2-1 in overtime) on Monday night, so Maine will try to be physical to wear the Eagles down. Maine has allowed just six goals in its last five games and won four of them. BC’s Gerbe-Boyle-Bradford line is one of the nation’s best. Schneider has stopped 89 of 93 shots he has faced in the last three games. Senior LW Brent Shepheard will return to the Maine lineup after missing four games with a shoulder injury. BC wants to stay out of the penalty box since Maine leads the nation in power-play efficiency (25.4 percent).