MAINE vs. UMASS
Time, site: Friday, Saturday, 7 p.m., Alfond Arena, Orono
Records: Maine 1-4-1 (0-0 Hockey East), UMass 2-3 (1-2 HE)
Series, last meeting: Maine leads 49-19-9, UMass 2-1 on Nov. 2, 2013
Key players: Maine — C Cam Brown (3 goals, 3 assists), LW Blaine Byron (2 & 2), D Jake Rutt (1 & 2), C Devin Shore (1 & 1), D Ben Hutton (1 & 0), G Matt Morris (1-2-1, 2.41 goals-against average, .918 save percentage), G Sean Romeo (0-2, 4.93, .844); UMass — RW Zack LaRue (2 & 2), C Steven Iacobellis (2 & 2), LW Ray Pigozzi (1 & 3), D Jake Horton (2 & 1), RW Patrick Lee (1 & 2), D Oleg Yevenko (0 & 2), G Henry Hill (2-1, 3.22, .908)
Game notes: Five of UMass’ top seven scorers are freshmen and sophomores. Freshman Dill was the Hockey East Rookie of the Week after making 69 saves and allowing five goals in a 3-2 win over Northeastern and 4-1 loss to Boston College. BC had an empty-net goal. He has started the last three games. UMass is the nation’s ninth best faceoff team, winning 54.5 percent of its draws. Maine holds a 4-3-3 edge over the last 10 meetings. Neither team is among the nation’s top 33 teams in scoring or team defense. Maine is 44th in goals (1.83) and 39th in team defense (3.33) while UMass is 34th (2.40) and 51st (4.40), respectively. Maine will have to play physical to slow down the speedy Minutemen and will need to do a better job converting its scoring chances. Maine scored two power-play goals in a game for the first time in its 3-3 overtime tie with Alaska-Anchorage last Saturday night. Yevenko played for Belarus in the World Championships in his native country last spring and was the only participant with NCAA eligibility remaining.