MAINE vs. NORTHEASTERN

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

Records: Maine 2-2 (0-0 Hockey East); NU 1-1 (1-0 HE)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 44-35-15; Maine 2-1 (OT) on 01/27/07

Key players: Maine – D Bret Tyler (3 goals, 2 assists), C Wes Clark (2 & 2), LW Chris Hahn (2 & 1), LW Billy Ryan (0 & 1), RW Rob Bellamy (0 & 1), D Travis Ramsey (1 & 0), G Ben Bishop (2-2, 2.02 GAA, .933 save pct.); Northeastern – LW Ryan Ginand (2 & 0), LW Chad Costello (0 & 2), C Jimmy Russo (no points), RW Kyle Kraemer (np), D David Strathman (0 & 1), D Louis Liotti (np), G Brad Thiessen (1-1, 2.48, .911)

Outlook: Maine has won the last three meetings at Matthews Arena. Thiessen was a unanimous choice for the Hockey East All-Rookie Team last year. Both teams will be looking to get their power plays untracked. Maine is 1-for-22 with the man advantage and NU is 1-for-15. The Huskies and Bears are both young with six to eight freshmen in their respective lineups. Both games will be physical and the defensemen will have to make quick decisions with the puck and chip it safely out of danger. Costello and Kraemer were the team’s leading scorers as freshmen a year ago. NU is coming off a 3-2 overtime win over Providence and a 3-0 loss to the nation’s top-ranked Fighting Sioux of North Dakota in which the Huskies outshot the Sioux 31-24.