MEN’S HOCKEY

MAINE vs. SACRED HEART

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

Records: Maine 14-4-1, Sacred Heart 4-10-2

Series, last meeting: 0-0-1; 4-4 on 11/11/01

Key players: Maine – RW Colin Shields (9 goals, 9 assists), C Michel Leveille (1 & 16), C Derek Damon (7 & 9), LW Todd Jackson (10 & 4), D Prestin Ryan (3 & 8), D Troy Barnes (2 & 9), G Frank Doyle (9-3, 1.80 goals-against average, .923 save percentage); Sacred Heart – C Pierre-Luc O’Brien (6 & 6), LW Mike Reagan (6 & 6), C Peter Giatrelis (6 & 4), LW Marc-Andre Fournier (6 & 3), D Konn Hawkes (1 & 7), D Bernie Chmiel (1 & 6), G Kevin LaPointe (4-7-2, 2.98, .911)

Outlook: Maine is Sacred Heart’s third Hockey East opponent. The Pioneers opened with losses to Merrimack and Providence and are 0-3-2 in their last five games. Maine has won two in a row and must follow its blueprint for success: play the body in all three zones and use its speed to create turnovers and transition opportunities. Maine also needs to improve its power play, which is in yet another funk (1-for-16 over last three games). Sacred Heart needs to protect the front of its net by getting numbers back. The Pioneers need to keep the game close through two periods in order to make it a 20-minute game. Maine’s Greg Moore, who just returned from the World Junior Championships, will be rested. Ben Murphy (shoulder) and Jimmy Howard (knee) also won’t play.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

MAINE vs. VERMONT

Time, site: Saturday, 1 p.m.; Patrick Gym, Burlington, Vt.

Records: Maine 6-5 (1-0 America East); Vermont 6-3 (0-1)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 43-18; Maine 54-52 on 3/5/03

Key players: Maine – 6-1 F Heather Ernest (17.7 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 1.8 spg), 5-9 G Melissa Heon (10.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg, .773 FT pct.), 6-1 G/F Julie Veilleux (8.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, .800 FT pct.), 6-0 F Monica Peterson (7.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg), 5-7 G Missy Traversi (5.3 ppg), 5-7 G Kim Corbitt (4.9 ppg, 2.9 apg); Vermont – 6-1 F Aaron Yantzi (21.2 ppg, 11.0 rpg, .640 FT pct.), 6-0 F Lani Boardman (15.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.4 apg), 6-1 F Katie McNamara (10.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.2 apg), 5-7 G Theresa LaRocque (7.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.3 apg), 5-9 G Brittney Cross (3.1 ppg, 2.9 apg, 1.9 spg)

Outlook: The Bears won both meetings last season in this fierce rivalry, but the Catamounts have taken six of the last nine. UMaine wants to build on its win over Binghamton, while UVM lost its league opener at Northeastern. Yantzi is the league’s top scorer, shooter, and rebounder, so containing her around the basket is a big key. UVM leads AE in scoring (68.4 ppg), field-goal percentage (.452), and rebounding margin (plus-2.8). UMaine must limit second shots with tenacious rebounding and shoot well to keep the Cats from using their transition attack. With Heon back, the Bears’ guard corps may be able to wear down a UVM team averaging 20-plus turnovers with lots of pressure on the ball.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

MAINE vs. VERMONT

Time, site: Sunday, 1 p.m.; Alfond Arena, Orono

Records: Maine 8-4 (2-1 in America East), Vermont 6-5 (3-0)

Series, last meeting: Maine leads 64-41; Vermont 65-59 on 1/22/03

Key players: Maine – 6-2 G Kevin Reed (15.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 3.0 spg), 6-3 G Eric Dobson (11.2 ppg, 6.2 apg, 3.5 rpg), 6-3 G Chris Markwood (8.0 ppg, 2.2 apg), 6-10 F Mark Flavin (9.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.4 bpg), 6-7 G/F Joe Campbell (6.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg), 6-9 F David Dubois (6.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg); Vermont – 5-11 G T.J. Sorrentine (12.7 ppg, 3.7 apg, 1.8 spg), 6-9 F Taylor Coppenrath (25.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg), 6-2 G Alex Jensen (5.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg), 6-7 C-F Scotty Jones (5.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg), 6-4 G-F Germain Njila (4.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg)

Outlook: Other than a nonconference game against Florida State, this should be the toughest test so far this season for the Black Bears. The Catamounts are only 6-5, but some of those losses have come vs. UCLA (one point), UMass, UNLV, and Rhode Island. The Cats have a 67-60 win over Binghamton, the team that easily beat Maine by 14 Wednesday night. Vermont is averaging 63.1 points while Maine has averaged 69.8. Both teams are averaging 36.4 rebounds per contest. Maine must find a way to contain Vermont’s deadly duo of Coppenrath and Sorrentine, the league’s last two players of the year, if the Bears are to avoid their third straight loss to Vermont, which has won six of its last seven games.