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This story can be found online at:
http://www.portland.com/sports/college/hockey/020312umhockey.shtml

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                     Tuesday, March 12, 2002

                                            Also-ran to on a run


                        By   KEVIN THOMAS, Portland Press Herald Writer

                      Copyright  2002 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.









 It seems to have been the Black Bears' wake-up call. Four weeks ago the University of Maine lost on consecutive nights, at Boston College and Merrimack.

Since then the Black Bears are 6-0-2. Coach Tim Whitehead has tweaked the lineup, emphasizing a simple fact: Maine is as good as anyone.

After Maine's two-game sweep of Boston College last week, Whitehead had another message:

"Our guys are ready."

Maine looks playoff-ready as it prepares for another anticipated game with Boston University - in the Hockey East semifinals at 7 p.m. Friday.

Maine's past four games are the indicators. The Black Bears had to finish the regular season at BU, then play BC in the opening round of the Hockey East playoffs.

They could have been knocked out of the NCAA playoff picture, but instead responded with a victory at BU, then a convincing two-game sweep of the Eagles.

"We matched their intensity," Whitehead said after both weekends.

NCAA PICTURE: Maine seems secure in its quest for an NCAA tournament invitation. Now the Black Bears are shooting for a first-round bye.

The NCAA will select 12 teams - five conference champions and seven at-large picks.

According to the Pairwise Rankings, which are published by U.S. College Hockey Online and mirror the rankings used by the NCAA, Maine is No. 6.

The top four teams will get a first-round bye.

The current Pairwise Rankings have New Hampshire at No. 1, followed by Minnesota, Denver, BU, Michigan State, Maine, St. Cloud State, Cornell, Colorado College and Michigan.

To have a chance at the bye, Maine likely will need to win the Hockey East tournament and have Denver or Michigan State do poorly this weekend.

If Maine can beat BU on Friday, it also may keep the Black Bears in the East Regional in Worcester, Mass.

New Hampshire is almost a lock to be a seeded team in the East. The NCAA selection committee also could put BU and Maine in the East, but likely would send one of them to the West Regional in Michigan.

BU SERIES: Maine and BU have met 75 times with the Terriers leading, 35-33-7. But in the Hockey East semifinals, Maine has a 2-0 record over the Terriers, in 1990 and 2000.

They have met twice in the title game.

BU won in 1991, 4-3 in overtime. Maine won in 1993, 5-2.

TELEVISION/TICKETS: Top-seeded New Hampshire will play UMass-Lowell in the other semifinal, but the Maine-BU game was more appealing and given the prime-time 7 p.m. spot, with UNH and Lowell facing off at 4.

Fox Sports New England will televise all the games, but only the Lowell-UNH game will be shown live.

Because of the network's commitment to televise the Boston Celtics, it will tape-delay the other games, Maine-BU at 10:30 p.m. Friday, and Saturday's 8 p.m. title game at 11.

The UMaine ticket office sold its share of tickets, but tickets still can be purchased through Ticketmaster (775-3331) or through:

www.hockeyeastonline.com.

HOCKEY EAST AWARDS: The annual league banquet will take place Thursday night.

Whitehead is a contender for Coach of the Year. UNH forward Darren Haydar and Northeastern defenseman Jim Fahey are the favorites for Player of the Year.

Maine defenseman Peter Metcalf and forward Niko Dimitrakos should make the all-conference team. Goalie Mike Morrison might make it, and Martin Kariya and Colin Shields have outside chances. Shields will make the all-rookie team.

Shields was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Week for his three-point performance in the BC series.

GOALIE DECISION: Maine has two goalies, Morrison and Matt Yeats, contending for Friday's start. Whitehead said this is how he likes it, but it leaves him with a difficult decision.

Yeats has the playoff experience, and Morrison has been No. 1 since January. Yeats may get his job back after strong performances against BU and BC. Morrison didn't look as sharp.

"Matt looked very focused, very composed," Whitehead said after the BC game.

He quickly added: "I like both our goalies."

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at: [log in to unmask]