Men’s Hockey
MAINE vs. U.S. UNDER-18
Time, site: Friday, 7 p.m., Alfond Arena, Orono
Records: UMaine 7-10-3, U.S. Under-18, 16-17
Series, last meeting: UMaine leads 8-0, UMaine 6-4 on 11/23/11
Key players: Maine — C Cam Brown (3 goals, 18 assists), LW Blaine Byron (9 & 11), C Chase Pearson (10 & 5), D Rob Michel (4 & 6), D Patrick Holway (3 & 6), D Eric Schurhamer (3 & 6), G Stephen Mundinger (0-0, 3.06 goals-against average, .895 save percentage); U.S. Under 18 — C Evan Barratt (8 & 17), RW Jacob Tortora (13 & 12), LW Brady Tkachuk (10 & 13), D Quinn Hughes (1 & 21), C Josh Norris (10 & 12), RW Scott Reedy (11 & 11), G Dylan St. Cyr (13-9, 2.95 .891)
Game notes: The U.S. Under-18 team has gone 1-8 against NCAA Division I teams, but that one win came against the nation’s current No. 1-ranked team, Minnesota-Duluth (2-1 on Oct. 22). UMaine head coach Red Gendron will do some experimenting with different line combinations and defense tandems. Tkachuk is the son of former Boston University and NHL star Keith Tkachuk and is one of three players on the squad who have committed to BU. Three others will attend Boston College and 19 are bound for Division I schools. The U.S. Under-18 team is quick and highly skilled, so it will test UMaine’s defense. On Saturday, the Under-18s lost 3-1 to the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League. After this exhibition, UMaine will finish the season with 14 Hockey East games.