Men’s Hockey
MAINE vs. UMASS LOWELL, BOSTON COLLEGE
Time, site: Maine vs. UML, Friday 7 p.m.; Maine vs. BC Sunday, 3 p.m., Alfond Arena, Orono
Records: Maine 7-14-1 (2-6 Hockey East), UML 14-4-3 (7-1-2), BC 12-7-2 (5-4-2)
Series, last meeting: Maine leads UML 78-35-4, UML 3-2 (OT) on 12/6/14; BC leads 62-46-9, BC 4-1 on 11/22/14
Key players: Maine — RW Blaine Byron (9 goals, 8 assists), C Cam Brown (5 & 12), C Devin Shore (5 & 11), D Ben Hutton (5 & 8), C-RW Steven Swavely (4 & 8), G Matt Morris (3-4-1, 3.01 goals-against average, .899 save percentage), G Sean Romeo (4-10, 2.97, .905); UML — LW C.J. Smith (7 & 11), C Evan Campbell (6 & 11), D Dylan Zink (8 & 8), C Joe Gambardella (6 & 10), D Zack Kamrass (4 & 9), D Michael Kapla (3 & 10), G Kevin Boyle (11-2-3, 2.33, .920); BC — C Adam Gilmour (6 & 11), D Teddy Doherty (5 & 11), RW Chris Calnan (10 & 5), LW Zach Sanford (3 & 11), D Michael Matheson (2 & 12), LW Quinn Smith (6 & 7), G Thatcher Demko (10-6-2, 2.04, .930)
Game notes: The Black Bears must continue to play solid team defense because the River Hawks and Eagles are potent. UML is No. 4 in the country in goals per game (3.71) while BC is 17th (3.05). Both teams have impressive scoring balance as BC has 11 players with 10 or more points while UMass Lowell has 10. Maine has only five. BC plays Boston University on Friday night. Five of Gilmour’s six goals have come on the power play. Each team also has two defenseman among its top five point-getters. Maine is 4-2 in its last six after snapping an eight-game losing streak. Hutton has three goals and three assists in his last six games. Maine’s resurgent power play is 3-for-11 over the last three games. The River Hawks have the nation’s 14th best power play (20.8 percent) while BC is seventh best on the penalty kill (88.3 percent).