December 3, 2010

BC plays a home-and-home series against BU with both games on CBS College Sports

No. 8 Boston College vs. No. 3 Boston U.(Fri at BU, Sat. at BC, CBS College Sports)

• This weekend's games between Boston College and Boston University will mark the 251st and 252nd meetings between the teams. Boston University is 125-108-17 in the all-time series. The Terriers won the season series last year, 2-1-0, but BC defeated BU in the last meeting (4-3) in the Beanpot Championship Game.

• Boston University owns a 10-1-4 record in its last 15 home contest, but the Eagles are 5-2-1 all-time in eight meetings vs. the Terriers at Agganis Arena.

• BC's team defense (1.93 GAA) this season ranks second in the nation. The Eagles penalty kill, which has killed 77 of 85 attempts (90.6%), also is secon best in the country among Div. I schools.

No. 9 Maine at Providence College - Two-Game Series (Fri., Sat. at Schneider Arena)

• Maine is 5-1-1 in the last seven meetings of the series, which inlcudes the Black Bears, 2-1-0 series win in 09-10. The Friars won the last meeting at Schneider Arena on Jan. 16 (3-2).

• Maine's Gustav Nyquist has scored eight points (6g,2a) in eight career games vs. the Friars.

• The Friars finished the month of November with a 4-1-2 (.714) record, the best winning percentage in November since the 1997-98 squad had a 7-2-1 record (.750).

• Kyle MacKinnon's nine goals for PC is second best among conference skaters. He had 12 goals all of last year in 34 games.

No. 18 Merrimack vs. Northeastern - Two-Game Series (Fri. at NU, Sat. at MC)

• The Huskies won the season series a year ago, 2-1-0, including a 5-1 NU win on Feb. 5 in the last meeting.

• At 6-3-4 through 13 games, the Warriors are off to their best start in its Division I history.

• NU's Chris Rawlings had made 389 saves this season, second most among Hockey East goaltenders.

• With three sellout crowds in its last four home games, Merrimack is unbeaten at home at 4-0-1 and is 16-3-2 since the start of last season.

UMass-Lowell at Massachusetts (Sat. at the Mullins Center)

• The Minutemen won the season series last year, 2-1-0, which included the last two meetings on Jan. 15 and 16, 2010. Two of the three games last year were one goal games.

• Michael Pereira's 11 points for UMass is second best among HEA rookies and his seven goals leads all rookies.

Vermont at No. 5 UNH (Sun. at the Whittemore Center)

• Paul Thompson and Phil DeSimone lead the league with 19 and 18 points, respectively, for the Wildcats this season. Their line top line with Mike Sislo have combined 35 points (10g,25a) over the last six games

• UNH won the season series with UVM last year, 2-0-1, but the Catamounts bounced UNH from the Hockey East quarterfinals with a pair of 1-0 shutouts in the three-game series at the Whittemore Center.

Hockey East Notes

• Tickets for the 2011 Hockey East Championships go on-sale at 11am tomorrow morning at the TD Garden Box Office, at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.

• Hockey East home teams are 12-1-4 since Nov. 13 in league games, they started the year 12-8-7.