Here is the preview for the weekend that appeared in today's paper.
 
The University of Maine hockey team will get the pucks rolling in
Hockey East play this weekend when they entertain UMass-Lowell and
Providence College.
The sixth-ranked Black Bears are coming off a successful weekend, where
they battled No. 4 Colorado College to a 6-6 tie.
"In the beginning of the season we played some strong teams," senior
defensive captain Brian White said. "Now we have to get ready for
Hockey East opponents."
With league play now in the cards, Maine essentially opens its second
season. While tangling with perennial powerhouses Minnesota and
Colorado College, the play catered more to the western style of hockey.
Wide-open, up-tempo and a climatic emphasis on the offense.
With the River Hawks and Friars set to invade Maine's den, it's time
for some in-your-face hockey.
"Providence and Lowell are very physical teams that we can't take
lightly," White said. "We need to finish our checks because in our rink
things happen really quick.
"We'll have to be able to play off the boards and that is what we have
been working on in practice."
"Every game gets a little tighter now," Black Bear coach Shawn Walsh
said. "Both teams are hard working and very intense."
Walsh also said they will look to spread the scoring out this weekend
to take the pressure off captain Steve Kariya.
Kariya has been an instant spark for Maine this season, as he has
accumulated 11 points in just four games.
Sophomore forward Ben Guite said the team will look to capitalize on
its even strength chances so as not to rely on the power play.
"They should be two really good hockey games," Guite said. "However, we
don't want to depend on our power play, and we want to beat them
five-on-five."
The River Hawks are led by Greg Koehler, who was named rookie of the
year in the league last year.
"Koehler is a top player," Walsh said. "He's very quick and extremely
smart with the puck."
In two games this season, the slick forward from Scarborough, Ontario,
has racked up five points, including four goals.
Up front, Lowell is led by a youthful mix of talented players in Chris
Bell, Brad Rooney and John Campbell. The three have given coach Tim
Whitehead some balanced scoring punch.
Defensively, Lowell plays a tight checking game. White says the Bears
will look to work the team's speed to their advantage.
"We need to be able to break away from them first," White said. "Speed
is something we know we have, so we need to use that to our advantage."
In net, Lowell boasts one of the league's most capable goalies in
Martin Fillion. Fillion's strengths lie in his game endurance and his
ability to frustrate opponents. The Black Bears will look to strike
early to strip any confidence, which Fillion loves to build on.
"There have been many great goalies who have come in but let in a quick
goal, and they lose their confidence," White said. "We need to get one
early to open the door."
The games in the series between Maine and Lowell have always been
close, especially when they face off at Alfond. Three of their last
seven meetings have gone to overtime, twice at Alfond last year.
The Black Bears are 16-11 against the River Hawks at Alfond.
Saturday
The Black Bears will face off against the Friars of Providence College
in a game that inaugurates "the sea of white." All fans are encouraged
to wear white to the Alfond in a move the program borrowed from the
NHL's Phoenix Coyotes.
"We're taking it off from the Coyotes," Walsh said. "We'll be handing
out white pompons to create an electric atmosphere."
Walsh said this will become an annual event to generate an intense,
fan-friendly atmosphere at the Alfond.
Providence enters the contest Saturday night having lost every game to
the Bears in Orono since 1989. However, like the River Hawks, they put
heavy emphasis on the physical aspect of the game.
"They are big and play a power type of game," Walsh said.
Providence head coach Paul Pooley said his Friars are ready to go and
will look to pull the upset on the nationally ranked Black Bears.
"Up in Maine, we have to be ready," Pooley said. "They play with such
emotion and are a well disciplined team.
"We have to make sure we limit their opportunities because their
goaltending is very good."
If the Friars are to come out of Orono with a win, they will have to
solve their team's scoring woes. They have scored just five goals this
season and have not connected on any of their eight power plays.
"We're having trouble scoring goals," Pooley said. "So we'll have to
get that going."
Although Providence is not a team that will overwhelm people with
finesse or style, it does possess the grinders, who pride themselves on
a crash-the-net type mentality.
An example of this is Friar right wing Mike Mader. Although he has been
held scoreless thus far, Pooley said he is a constant threat because of
the type of style he plays.
"Mike has to play tough," Pooley said. "He has a good shot, but he
won't flash you. He'll drive to the net and beat you physically, which
is why I moved him to right wing."
The top two scorers for the Friars, Mike Omicioli and Fernando Pisani,
also will have to be contained as well.
"In the past, providence has been very physical," White said. "They are
jacked up and want to come up here and get some points."
"It's always a challenge going up to Maine," Pooley said. 'I'm always
fired up when we go to Maine."