The Maine hockey team didn't practice Monday, but in today's Hockey East teleconference, Maine Coach Tim Whitehead said that the 5-4 loss to No. 13 New Hampshire may have been a blessing in disguise for the young Black Bears, who are learning on the fly this season. Maine led 4-2 in the third period but gave up three goals in the final seven minutes, two on special teams.

"We have to be careful that we don't sacrifice team defense and penalties, and that's what kind of bit us in the UNH game," Whitehead said. "We didn't get a couple pucks deep. We might have gotten away with it (the win) but it might be good in the long run that we didn't get away with it."

Maine begins preparing for No. 2 Boston University later this week.

"We have to get back to work," Whitehead said. "There's no magic wand that you wave, and you suddenly have experience and composure under pressure. I told the team, unfortunately, our youth and inexperience showed in that third period. We're trying to put it in perspective, but at the same time, we have to be honest wtith them. With experience, we're going to make better plays under pressure."

Whitehead said senior defenseman Simon Danis-Pepin's status is still uncertain for this weekend. Danis-Pepin has missed the past four games with a sprained ankle, but practiced before the UNH game. If Danis-Pepin does not play this weekend, he will most likely be back next weekend, when Maine hosts Bentley on Jan. 16 and Providence two days later.

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If you've become a fan of watching outdoor hockey games, two Hockey East teams almost followed suit. Three years ago, Boston College and Boston University nearly took the Green Line Rivalry to the Green Monster, as both schools were in talks to play an outdoor game at Fenway Park.

"The cooperation was great, but Fenway Park was closed for reconstruction," BC Coach Jerry York said. "But I'd like to pursue it hard. If we can promise that there's no rain, we'll promise it will be a good, clean, cold day."

While York was enthusiastic about the possibility of an outdoor game, BU Coach Jack Parker was concerned about the novelty of such an event, particularly how soon the novelty might wear off. Consider that several outdoor games have already been played, including two NHL Winter Classics (Buffalo-Pittsburgh at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., and Detroit-Chicago at Wrigley Field in Chicago) and Michigan State-Michigan in the "Cold War" at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich.

"I don't think we could do it more than once," Parker said. "It will get overdone. The Buffalo-Pittsburgh game was something, but I don't think the Wrigley game was as romantic. The Michigan State-Michigan game was a show. But if you don't do it soon, it will be worn out."

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Notre Dame is still No. 1 in both national polls. The Irish (16-3-2)
are again atop the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Top 20 poll, and atop the USA Today/USA Hockey Top 15 poll.

Right behind the Irish in both polls is Boston University (13-4-1), Maine's opponent on Saturday. The Terriers are undefeated in their last seven games, including two wins over RPI and Denver at the Denver Cup. Forward Colin Wilson and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk will return to the lineup this weekend after playing for Team USA in the World Junior Championships.

Wilson is the son of former NHLer Carey Wilson.

Maine received eight votes in the USA Today poll, and 30 votes in the USCHO.com poll.

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