MAINE vs. RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
Time, site: Friday, Saturday, 7 p.m., Alfond Arena, Orono
Records (2015-2016): Maine (8-24-6), RPI 18-15-7
Series, last meeting: RPI leads 5-4, Maine 4-2 on 1/6/08
Key players (last season’s statistics): Maine — C Blaine Byron (8 goals, 14 assists), LW/C Cam Brown (8 & 12), LW Nolan Vesey (5 & 6), RW Brendan Robbins (4 & 7), D Eric Schurhamer (2 & 8), D Rob Michel (0 & 8), G Rob McGovern (2-14-3, 2.78 goals-against average, .905 save percentage); RPI — C Riley Bourbonnais (15 & 11), RW Lou Nanne (6 & 17), D Mike Prapavessis (4 & 15), LW Jake Wood (8 & 9), LW Viktor Liljegren (8 & 9), LW Jesper Ohrvall (6 & 7), G Cam Hackett (6-3-2, 2.88, .918)
Game notes: The Engineers return nine of their top 11 scorers although Nanne didn’t play in the exhibition win over McGill. Despite backing up senior goaltender Jason Kasdorf, Hackett was selected as the ECAC All-Rookie team goalie. Both teams were offensively challenged last season. UMaine finished 55th among 60 teams in the country in goals (2.00 per game) and RPI was 41st (2.42 gpg). RPI hasn’t averaged three or more goals in a season since 2002. The Engineers were good on the penalty kill a year ago (83.5 percent efficiency) and scored seven shorthanded goals, although graduated Milos Bubela scored four of them. Both teams struggled on the power play as RPI was 52nd (12.3 percent) and UMaine was 46th (14.1). Bourbonnais had five of RPI’s 13 power-play goals last year. UMaine will be relying on freshmen to make immediate impacts in the goal scoring department. The strength of the Engineers will be their defense corps headlined by Prapavessis, Jared Wilson and Parker Reno. This should be a fast-paced series, UMaine has to get pucks to the net and make life uncomfortable for Hackett.