NO. 15 MAINE vs. NO. 6 NEW HAMPSHIRE
Time, site: Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 7 p.m., Whittemore Center, Durham, N.H.
Records: Maine 11-7-6 (8-5-4 Hockey East); UNH 15-5-4 (13-2-2)
Series, last meeting: Maine 56-46-5, UNH 4-3 in OT on Dec. 10
Key players: Maine — LW Spencer Abbott (14 goals, 14 assists), RW Gustav Nyquist (6 & 22), C Robby Dee (9 & 14), LW Brian Flynn (13 & 8), D Will O’Neill (2 & 10), D Josh Van Dyk (0 & 10), G Martin Ouellette (3-2-2, 2.43 goals-against average, .893 save percentage); UNH — LW Paul Thompson (20 & 19), RW Mike Sislo (10 & 23), C Phil DeSimone (5 & 22), D Blake Kessel (5 & 13), RW John Henrion (10 & 6), D Brett Kostolansky (4 & 10), G Matt DiGirolamo (15-5-4, 2.31, (.924)
Outlook: The line of Thompson-DeSimone-Sislo is one of the nation’s best so the Black Bears will have to be aware of them every time they’re on the ice. UNH, being the home team, has the last line change so that line could be be sent out to try to capitalize against against Maine’s third or fourth lines. The Bears will have to keep it simple and get the puck deep. UNH is excellent on the rush and in transition. Maine can’t afford to turn the puck over and fuel UNH’s transition. Thompson is tied for second in the country in game-winners with five and tied for third in power-play goals with nine. Staying out of the penalty box will be key for Maine since UNH is operating at 20 percent on the power play. UNH is 57th among 58 teams in penalty minutes (9.5 per game).