MAINE vs. BOSTON COLLEGE

Time, site: Sunday, 4 p.m.; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 3-3 (0-2 Hockey East), BC 5-2 (3-1)

Series, last meeting: BC leads 51-38-8, BC 4-2 on 1/26/08

Key players: Maine – RW Gustav Nyquist (2 goals, 5 assists), C Chris Hahn (3 & 1), C Tanner House (2 & 2), D Matt Duffy (0 & 2), Simon Danis-Pepin (0 & 2), G Scott Darling (2-1, 1.01 GAA, .955 save pct.), G Dave Wilson (1-2, 3.35, .890); BC – C Brian Gibbons (3 & 8), LW Brock Bradford (7 & 3), C Ben Smith (1 & 4), LW Kyle Kucharski (3 & 1), LW Joe Whitney (2 & 2), D Carl Sneep (1 & 3), G John Muse (5-2, 2.85, .892)

Outlook: The defending national champion Eagles are 5-0-2 in their last seven meetings with the Bears, although two of the last three games have been ties. Maine will have to stay out of the penalty box as BC is operating at a 22.4 percent success rate on the power play. The Eagles have all kinds of firepower, so the Bears must not turn the puck over in the neutral zone and fuel BC’s transition. Notre Dame defeated BC 4-1 Friday night in a national championship game rematch. BC went 0-for-10 on the power play. Maine sophomore wing Glenn Belmore will make his 2008-09 debut after injuring his knee vs. New Brunswick in an exhibition game. Both teams use an aggressive 1-2-2 forecheck, so the defensemen will have to make quick breakout passes to relieve the pressure. The Bears haven’t played since last weekend’s sweep of Niagara.