Men’s college hockey
MAINE vs. NO. 11 BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Time, site: Friday, 7:30 p.m., Alfond Arena, Orono; Saturday, 7 p.m., Agganis Arena, Boston
Records: Maine 5-13-6 (2-6-2 Hockey East); BU 11-7-4 (5-4-3 HE)
Series, last meeting: BU leads 61-50-14, BU 3-2 (OT) on Nov. 21, 2014
Key players: Maine — C Will Merchant (8 goals, 5 assists), RW Blaine Byron (5 & 8), D Dan Renouf (5 & 7), C Cam Brown (3 & 8), C Steven Swavely (7 & 3), G Matt Morris (4-4-3, 2.96 goals-against average, .914 save percentage), G Rob McGovern (1-9-3, 2.59, .914); BU— RW Danny O’Regan (7 & 19), RW Ahti Oksanen (11 & 10), C Jacob Forsbacka Karlsson (6 & 14), C Matt Lane (11 & 6), D Brandon Fortunato (4 & 13), D Matt Grzelcyk (7 & 5), G Sean Maguire (5-4-1, 2.72, .908)
Game notes: BU is 3-1-1 in its last five games including wins over nationally-ranked Quinnipiac (4-1) and Harvard (6-5). The Terriers are explosive as evidenced by their three goals in 2:09 late in the third period of the Harvard game which erased a 5-3 deficit. O’Regan has 136 points in 137 career games. Oksanen has 115 shots on goal this season. Maine will have to stay out of the penalty box because BU has the nation’s eighth-best power play (23.8 percent efficiency) and the Terriers are currently on a 6-for-18 surge with the man advantage. Maine’s power play has been nonexistent as the Black Bears are currently on an 0-for-22 drought over the past six games. The speedy Grzelcyk is one of the nation’s top offensive defensemen. Maine will have to mimic its physical, tenacious performance in the 3-3 overtime tie with No. 1 Quinnipiac on Tuesday. Swavely has four goals in his last five games.