It's been more than three months since Maine and Vermont last met - Vermont defeated Maine 3-2 on Nov. 29 in Burlington - but Catamounts Coach Kevin Sneddon said earlier this week that by now, there's plenty of familiarity within the league, which helps when Maine and Vermont open a two-game series Friday at Alfond Arena.

"We do a video exchange, it's a mandatory league agreement," Sneddon said, noting that Vermont is reviewing a copy of Maine's 2-2 tie with Boston University from two weekends ago. "But at this point in the year, there aren't many secrets. You know the tendencies of each team. You follow games on television or watch the video you collect."

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Saturday will be Senior Night at Alfond Arena, and the Black Bears will honor their four seniors, Jeff Marshall, Simon Danis-Pepin, Matt Duffy and Chris Hahn, as well as team manager Robbie Hayes. Yesterday, Marshall spoke candidly - and a bit wistfully, and with a few laughs - about his hopes for life after college.

"I've got three things in mind," he said. "Win the lottery. Maybe play in the minor leagues. Or I'll wander the globe and be a little bit of a nomad."

All that with a college degree, to boot, as Marshall is a resource and agribusiness management major. If my husband and I ever inherit a farm, I'll ask for Marshall's advice.

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It's tough being James van Riemsdyk. The Philadelphia Flyers hold the rights to van Riemsdyk, a sophomore forward at New Hampshire, and last week, TSN.ca put van Riemsdyk in a list of 10 trade possibilities. Van Riemsdyk told the Concord Monitor that he's not dwelling too much on the possibility of not being a Flyer.

"I wouldn't say I'm following it, maybe by default because people are sending me messages about it and asking me about it every day," the University of New Hampshire sophomore said yesterday. "You can't really help but know what's going on. Obviously I know what some of the possibilities are out there, but you never know. Usually the stuff that you hear about is the stuff that never happens."

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On a side note, it is a sad day in journalism as the Rocky Mountain News in Denver announced today that it's publishing its final edition at the end of the week. I worked in Fort Collins, Colo., for three years before joining the staff at the Press Herald in 2004, and I not only read the Rocky daily but I consider several RMN staffers to be good journalists and good people. Scott Stocker, Tracy Ringolsby, Gerry Valerio and Paul Willis are in my thoughts as I go to work this weekend. Thank you, guys, for everything you've done.

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