MAINE vs. No. 18 BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Time, site: Friday, 7:30 p.m., Alfond Arena, Orono; Saturday, 7 p.m., Cross Insurance Arena, Portland
Records: UMaine 3-5 (2-2 Hockey East); BU 5-6-1 (3-3-1)
Series, last meeting: BU leads 64-50-13, BU 3-1 on Jan. 21
Key players: Maine — LW-RW Eduards Tralmaks (5 goals, 2 assists), RW Mitch Fossier (4 & 3), C Chase Pearson (0 & 7), D Rob Michel (2 & 4), C Tim Doherty (2 & 2), G Rob McGovern (1-3, 3.87 goals-against average, .891 save percentage), G Jeremy Swayman (2-2, 2.87, .908); BU — RW Patrick Harper (5 & 6), RW Bobo Carpenter (7 & 3), C Jordan Greenway (3 & 5), D Chad Krys (2 & 6), D Dante Fabbro (3 & 3), G Jake Oettinger (4-6-1, 2.91, .904), G Max Prawdzik (1-0, 0.91, .968)
Game notes: Boston University has been a mystery. The Terriers were the preseason choice to win Hockey East but they have been up and down. The Terriers are 48th in the country in goal production (2.42 goals per game) even though they returned three of their top five scorers. Oettinger, a first-round draft pick of Dallas, was a second-team All-Hockey East selection and an All-Rookie team pick a year ago but he has struggled. Prawdzik made his first collegiate start against New Hampshire on Saturday and turned in a 29-save shutout that earned him Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week honors. Both teams need to stay clear of the penalty box. UMaine has the nation’s worst penalty-killing percentage (63.9) and BU is 53rd among 60 teams (74.5 percent). Carpenter, son of former 18-year NHLer Bobby Carpenter and younger brother of U.S. Olympic women’s team player Alex Carpenter, has three goals and an assist in his last four games vs. UMaine. UMaine is well-rested after being off last weekend.