MAINE vs. UMASS LOWELL & MASSACHUSETTS

Time, site: Friday, 7 p.m., Tsongas Arena, Lowell, Mass.; Saturday, 7 p.m., Mullins Center, Amherst, Mass.

Records: Maine 8-11-3 (4-8-3 Hockey East), UML 11-8-4 (6-6-4), UMass 9-8-6 (4-7-5)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads UML 65-23-3, UML 6-0 on 12/29/07; Maine leads UMass 36-10-5, Maine 3-1 on 3/24/07

Key players: Maine – D Bret Tyler (6 goals, 9 assists), C Wes Clark (4 & 9), RW Rob Bellamy (4 & 9), LW Andrew Sweetland (5 & 4), C Jeff Marshall (3 & 5), D Simon Danis-Pepin (3 & 3), G Ben Bishop (8-11-3, 2.55 goals-against ave., .913 save pct.); UML – LW Kory Falite (9 & 8), LW Mark Roebothan (11 & 8), C Ben Holmstrom (2 & 14), C Scott Campbell (6 & 8), RW Jonathan Maniff (8 & 4), D Barry Goers (2 & 11), G Carter Hutton (3-4-2, 1.86, .931); UMass – LW James Marcou (7 & 15), C Cory Quirk (7 & 10), LW P.J. Fenton (4 & 12), D Justin Braun (4 & 11), RW Chris Davis (3 & 12), D Mike Kostka (5 & 9), G Paul Dainton (7-7-6, 2.50, .912)

Outlook: UMass Lowell is just 2-4 since beating Maine in the final at the Florida College Classic, including 1-0 and 4-1 home losses to Minnesota-Duluth last weekend. Hutton, who made 31 saves in shutting out Maine, has the nation’s seventh best GAA and sixth best save percentage. Maine has been better on the road this season and will have to slow down the swift-skating River Hawks by playing the body and not allowing them to connect on long passes that resulted in odd-man rushes in the 6-0 loss. When Maine loses possession of the puck, the Bears have to turn and race back into defensive position to prevent transition opportunities. Maine is 10-1 all-time at the Tsongas Arena. UMass snapped a five-game losing streak Saturday with a 2-2 tie against Vermont. Maine lost four straight games at the Mullins Center on consecutive weekends last year without the injured Bishop. He returned and Maine eliminated UMass 3-1 in the NCAA quarterfinals. The Marcou-Quirk-Davis line is dangerous and Maine will have to keep it in check. The Bears must also adapt to the ice sheet (10 feet wider than Alfond) by not allowing themselves to get overextended and out of position. UMass plays Northeastern on Friday night. Maine will continue to be without injured LWs Billy Ryan and Chris Hahn and center Keenan Hopson.