MAINE vs. BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Time, site: Friday, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, 7 p.m., Agganis Arena, Boston
Records: UMaine 3-4-1 (1-2-1 Hockey East), BU 2-4-1 (2-2-1)
Series, last meeting: BU leads 65-52-13, UMaine 3-0 on 1/16/18
Key players, Maine: C Chase Pearson (5 goals, 2 assists), RW Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup (3 & 3), C Tim Doherty (4 & 1), LW Mitch Fossier (0 & 5), D Rob Michel (2 & 2), D Brady Keeper (1 & 3), G Jeremy Swayman (3-4-1, 2.99 goals-against average, .909 save percentage); Boston University: D Dante Fabbro (3 & 5), RW Bobo Carpenter (4 & 3), D Chad Krys (2 & 3), RW Joel Farabee (2 & 3), RW Patrick Curry (3 & 1), C Shane Bowers (3 & 1), G Jake Oettinger (2-4-1, 3.43, .894)
Game notes: The Black Bears were off last weekend and have gone 1-4-1 in their past six games, being held to two goals or fewer in five of those games. The Terriers have bounced back from an 0-4 start to go 2-0-1 in their past three games, scoring 12 goals in the unbeaten streak. They beat New Hampshire 3-2 in overtime last Saturday on a shorthanded goal by Bowers. Albie O’Connell is in his first season as the head coach after David Quinn left to become the head coach of the NHL’s New York Rangers. There is plenty of talent on the BU roster with 12 NHL draft choices compared to UMaine’s three. UMaine is the nation’s most penalized team at 19.9 penalty minutes per game and BU is third with 18. Both teams have quality offensive-minded defensemen in BU’s Fabbro and Krys, and UMaine’s Michel and Keeper. UMaine has the nation’s seventh best penalty killing percentage (87.8 percent) but one of the worst power play percentages (11.9, 51st). BU has allowed 3.71 goals per game, 52nd among 60 Division 1 programs and its penalty-killing is 45th (77.1 percent).