MAINE vs. NIAGARA

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

Records: Maine 1-2, Niagara 0-1

Series, last meeting: first meeting

Key players: Maine (current stats) – C Ben Murphy (1 goal, 4 assists), C Derek Damon (2 & 2), LW Josh Soares (2 & 1), RW John Ronan (1 & 1), RW Greg Moore (2 & 0), D Mike Lundin (0 points), G Jimmy Howard (1-2, 2.69 GAA, .899 save percentage); Niagara (last year’s stats) – C Barret Ehgoetz (25 & 27), RW Kris Wiebe (18 & 10), RW Justin Cross (12 & 17), LW Sean Bentivoglio (2 & 19), D Andrew Lackner (2 & 13), D Pat Oliveto (0 & 14), G Jeff Van Nynatten (18-8-3, 2.81, .904)

Outlook: Ehgoetz was College Hockey America’s Co-Player of the Year last season, Van Nynatten was a first team All-CHA choice and the tourney MVP, and Lackner was an All-CHA second-teamer. The Purple Eagles, who lost to Boston College 5-2 in the NCAA Tournament last season, were picked to finish second in the CHA this season. The Bears will need to sustain their forecheck better than they did against North Dakota last weekend, and their defensemen must do a better job getting the puck to the net. That will require better movement off the puck to get into shooting lanes. The Purple Eagles lost their opener to UMass Lowell 3-2 in overtime and gave the River Hawks 15 power-play chances. UML’s tying and game-winning goals came on five-on-threes.