Men’s Hockey
Hockey East First Round
MAINE vs. No. 14 VERMONT
Time, site: Friday, Saturday, 7 p.m., Sunday (if necessary), 4 p.m., Gutterson Fieldhouse, Burlington, Vermont
Records: UMaine 11-19-4 (5-15-2 Hockey East); Vermont 18-11-5 (10-8-4)
Series, last meeting: tied 24-24-5, 2-2 tie on 11/19/16
Key players: Maine — LW Blaine Byron (18 goals, 22 assists), C Cam Brown (4 & 34), LW Nolan Vesey (13 & 10), C Chase Pearson (14 & 8), D Rob Michel (8 & 10), G Matt Morris (2-5-1, 4.12 goals-against average, .889 save percentage), G Rob McGovern (9-14-3, 2.94, .914); Vermont — C Ross Colton (11 & 15), RW Brian Bowen (12 & 12), LW Mario Puskarich (10 & 14), LW Jarrid Privitera (8 & 10), RW Brady Shaw (8 & 8), D Rob Hamilton (7 & 8), G Stefanos Lekkas (16-8-5, 2.47, .912)
Game notes: Byron has a nine-game points streak (7 & 8) and a five-game goals streak for 11th seed UMaine. Linemate Brown has points in six of his last seven games (0 & 7). For sixth seed Vermont, Bowen has a six-game points streak (5 & 3) and Puskarich has 2 & 6 in his last five games. Shaw has 5 & 5 against UMaine, Puskarich has 6 & 3 and LW Brendan Bradley has 2 & 7. Byron (2 & 6) and Brown (1 & 6) are UMaine’s top point-producers vs. UVM and Morris has allowed six goals and stopped 100 of 106 shots in his last three starts (.943 save percentage) vs. Vermont. UMaine is 0-16-4 in its last 20 road games. Catamounts leading scorer Colton is questionable due to an upper body injury. The teams met in the playoffs two years ago and Vermont prevailed 3-2 in overtime in Game 3 after they split 4-2 wins. The Black Bears will have to be physical and win the majority of puck battles. UMaine is 5-for-12 on the power play over its last three games. They also need to crash the net and make life difficult for freshman goalie Lekkas.