Men’s hockey

Alaska Goal Rush Tournament

MAINE vs. ALASKA-ANCHORAGE, ALASKA-FAIRBANKS

Time, site: Friday, 8:35 p.m. vs. UAA, Saturday, 11:35 p.m. vs. UAF; Carlson Center, Fairbanks, Alaska

Records: Maine 0-0, UAA 1-1, UAF 1-0-1

Series, last meeting: UM-UAA 2-2-1, Maine 4-2 on Oct. 19, 2002; UM-UAF, Maine leads 6-2, Maine 5-2 on Oct. 22, 1994

Key players (last year’s stats): Maine – D Simon Danis-Pepin (4 goals, 8 assists), RW Jeff Marshall (5 & 6), C Tanner House (1 & 10), LW Chris Hahn (6 & 4), D Matt Duffy (6 & 2), G Dave Wilson (0-0, 6.78 goals-against average, .791 save percentage), G Scott Darling (DNP); UAA – LW Josh Lunden (14 & 13), RW Kevin Clark (7 & 16), C Paul Crowder (7 & 16), C Craig Parkinson (7 & 9), D Mat Robinson (3 & 10), D Shane Lovdahl (3 & 8), G Jon Olthuis (6-17-8, 2.89, .885); UAF – C Dion Knelsen (11 & 22), LW Dustin Sather (8 & 15), C Adam Naglich (3 & 16), RW Braden Walls (4 & 8), C Derek Klassen (3 & 5), D Steve Vanoosten (1 & 2), G Chad Johnson (0-6, 3.36, .893)

Outlook: Northeastern University coach and former Maine assistant and interim head coach Greg Cronin, whose Huskies beat UAA 4-2 and tied UAF 2-2 last weekend, said the two teams will offer a contrast in styles. He said UAA is the most physical team he has seen in his three years at Northeastern. He said they finish all of their checks and 10 of their 12 forwards are at least six feet tall. Their defense is mobile. Maine will have to stay disciplined and avoid after-the-whistle activity. UAA is defense-oriented and limits opponents’ shots on goal. Cronin said UAF is a young, energetic team with quick forwards and a very good power play. Maine will have to stay out of the penalty box and take the body to slow down the Nanooks. Both games will be played on an Olympic-sized ice sheet which is 15 feet wider than Maine’s Alfond Arena.

Women’s hockey

MAINE vs. SACRED HEART

Time, site: Friday, 7 p.m., Saturday 2 p.m.; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 1-3, Sacred Heart 0-1

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 8-0, Maine 6-1 on Sept. 29, 2007

Key players: Maine – D Lexie Hoffmeyer (2 goals, 2 assists); C Vanessa Vani (2 & 2), RW Jenna Ouellette (2 & 1), RW Amy Stech (2 & 0), D Melissa Gagnon (0 & 2), RW Jordan Colliton (0 & 2), G Genevieve Turgeon (1-3, 4.27 goals-against average, .909 save percentage); Sacred Heart (last year’s stats) – C Lauren Fontaine (16 & 6), RW Kate Dunlop (8 & 8), C Taryn Lapierre (8 & 7), LW Whitney Dziama (6 & 9), D Kristina Feltz (0 & 7), D Jennifer Burroughs (DNP), G Raelene Sydor (DNP)

Outlook: Maine is hoping to snap a three-game losing streak while Sacred Heart is looking to rebound from a season-opening 13-0 loss to Hockey East contender UConn. Sacred Heart is a Division I independent. The Black Bears will need to do a better job getting pucks to the net. They have averaged just 18 shots on goal per game while allowing 46.8 shots. The Bears will also hope to improve their penalty-killing, which is operating at a 75 percent efficiency rate. Sacred Heart returns its top five scorers off last year’s 7-17-1 but graduated its top two defensemen and goalie Sarah Perry.