October 7, 2010

Tyler McNeely and the NU Huskies play two league games this weekend

Northeastern at Providence (Fri.), vs. Boston College (Sat.)

• PC will open its 60th season on Friday, the Friars are 35-24 all-time in home openers.

• The Huskies won the season series last year vs. PC, 2-0-1.

• BC returns Cam Atkinson (East Greenwich, Conn.), who led the nation with 30 goals in 09-10.

UMass-Lowell at No. 7 Maine (Fri.) at Alfond Arena

• The Black Bears won the season series last year, 2-1-0 and advanced to the Garden with a 2-1 series win vs. the River Hawks in the HEA quaterfinals last March.

• 2010 Hobey Hat Trick finalist Gustav Nyquist (Malmo, Sweden) posted 61 points (19g) in his sophomore year.

• Tim Whitehead has a record of 199-126-36 in his 10th season as head coach of the Black Bears. He needs just one wins to reach 200 career wins at Maine. Whitehead has 275 career victories.

Massachusetts at Minnesota; Two-Game Series (Fri., Sat.)

• The Gophers won the only meeting between the two teams, 1-0, on Oct. 15, 2004 at the Nye Frontier Classic in Alaska. This will be the first time UMass has played in Mariucci Arena.

• Paul Dainton (Genelle, B.C.) is the eighth goalie in program history to be named captain.

No. 8 UNH at No. 3 Miami; Two-Game Series (Fri.-CBS College Sports, Sat.)

• The Wildcats and Red Hawks have four wins apiece in nine all-time meetings.

• Junior blueliner Blake Kessel (Verona, Wis.) has five points (2g) in two career games vs. Miami.

No. 11 Denver at Vermont; Two-Game Series (Fri., Sat.)

• The Catamounts won the last meeting with Denver, a 6-4 win on Oct. 10, 2009 in Colorado.

• Jack Downing (New Canaan, Conn.; 21 pts.) and Sebastian Stålberg (Gothenburg, Sweden;19) are the 'Cats leading returning scorers from a season ago.

No. 14 Boston University vs. Wisconsin at Ice Breaker Tournament (Fri., Sun.)

• The Terriers compete in the Ice Breaker for the second time in three years and for the fourth time overall. BU won the Ice Breaker in 2008 with wins over North Dakota (5-1) and Michigan St. (2-1).

• BU owns a 8-6-0 al-time record vs. the Badgers in 14 lifetime meetings. The last meeting between the two teams came Dec. 30, 2000, a 3-2 BU loss in Badger Showdown Championship Game.

Connecticut at Maine (Sat.)

• Maine owns a 2-0-0 all-time record vs. UConn with the last meeting coming Nov. 29, 1978.

Merrimack at Niagara (Sat.)

• The Warriors return National Rookie of the Year Stephane Da Costa (Paris, France), who recorded a league-high 45 points (16g) among rookies in his first season at Merrimack.