Providence is on a tear. Maine's not. This afternoon, we'll find out whether or not Maine can snap a five-game winless streak against the surging Friars, who have won four games in a row, including three with Alex Beaudry in goal.
Today's game comes two days after Maine Coach Tim Whitehead labeled a 3-1 loss to Bentley "embarrassing."
Here's something to chew on: Of Maine's four losses and one tie, only two of those losses have come against Hockey East teams. Maybe there's some hope for the stretch, but a loss to Providence today could make postseason hopes murkier.
But right now, Maine's clinging to eighth place in today's Hockey East standings. A win over Maine could bring the Friars within striking distance of eighth place.
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Lineups for today:
Providence
Forwards
Ian O'Connor-John Cavanagh-Matt Bergland
Austin Mayer-Kyke MacKinning-Pierce Norton
Andy Balysky-Nick Mazzolini-Rob Maloney
Jordan Kremyr-Matt Germain-Chris Eppich
Defense
Matt Taormina-David Brown
David Cavanagh-Eric Bayer
Daniel New-Mark Fayne
Goalies
Alex Beaudry
Justin Gates
Chris Mannix
Maine
Forwards
Brian Flynn-Chris Hahn- Spencer Abbott
Robby Dee-Tanner House-Gustav Nyquist
Kevin Swallow-Keif Orsini-Lem Randall
Nick Payson-Kyle Solomon-Jeff Marshall
Defense
Ryan Hegarty-Matt Duffy
Mike Banwell-Simon Danis-Pepin
Will O'Neill-Jeff Dimmen
Goalies
Dave Wilson
Scott Darling
Josh Seeley
Scratches: Theo Andersson, Glenn Belmore, Mark Nemec, David de Kastrozza, Josh Van Dyk, Brett Carriere.
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Here's a little more on Maine defenseman Jeff Dimmen, and some video of Dimmen in action from the Boston College game earlier this season.
I have total faith in Tim Whitehead. Losing to Bentley is not that bad...it's not like we lost to Colby or something. we'll be fine. In Tim we trust!!! We will make the playoffs this year, mark my words!! We will not be the league doormat!
Rachel is in her fifth year as a sports reporter at the Portland Press
Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. A former college soccer and softball player,
she covered sports at newspapers in Pennsylvania, Texas and Colorado before
joining the Press Herald/Sunday Telegram staff in June of 2004.
Rachel takes over coverage of the University of Maine hockey team and was
introduced to Maine hockey as a seventh-grader in Annapolis, Maryland, after
reading a 1988 Sports Illustrated story about Shawn Walsh's impact on the
program. Nearly 20 years later, she still has the four-page article in her
possession.
She and her husband, Tommy (who also works for MaineToday Media, Inc.)
are avid sports fans who root for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh
Penguins and Kansas Jayhawks. After a year of marriage, their next step in
life is to find a bigger house!
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