Men’s College Hockey
MAINE vs. UCONN
Time, site: Friday, 7:30, Alfond Arena, Orono; Sunday, 2:05 p.m., XL Center, Hartford, Connecticut
Records: Maine 10-15-1 (5-7 Hockey East); UConn 7-12-5 (4-6-2 HE)
Series, last meeting: Maine leads 2-0-1, 3-3 tie on Oct. 9, 2010
Key players: Maine — C Devin Shore (8 goals, 15 assists), C Cam Brown (6 & 16), RW Blaine Byron (9 & 10), LW Steven Swavely (7 & 10), D Ben Hutton (5 & 9), G Matt Morris (4-5-1, 2.63 goals-against average, .918 save percentage), G Sean Romeo (6-10-0, 2.98, .906); UConn— C Shawn Pauly (3 & 12), LW Spencer Naas (10 & 3), RW Trevor Gerling (7 & 5), C Kasperi Ojantakanen (2 & 9), D Jacob Poe (2 & 6), LW Evan Richardson (4 & 3), G Rob Nichols (6-12-5, 2.40, .926)
Game notes: Maine has won three in a row while first-year Hockey East member UConn is 0-2-1 in its last three. Four of the Huskies’ wins have come over nationally-ranked teams including Boston College (1-0) and UMass Lowell (2-0). They have five one-goal losses. UConn has held opponents to two goals or less 14 times thanks to Nichols’ goaltending. Newcomers have scored 24 of UConn’s 49 goals. Freshman Naas has three game-winning goals. Maine’s top line of Shore between Swavely and freshman Nolan Vesey has combined for eight goals and nine assists in Maine’s last three games. Shore has three multiple-point games in his last five and Maine is 6-0 his multiple-point games this season. Morris has a .982 save percentage and two shutouts in his last three starts. Maine will have to manage the puck efficiently against a disciplined, defense-oriented and gritty UConn team. Maine will want to create a fast tempo and pressure the Huskies. The hard-working Huskies are 51st among 59 Division I teams in goals per game (2.04). UConn will likely be without defenseman Johnny Austin (finger) and forward Jesse Schwartz (shoulder).