Maine Coach Tim Whitehead didn't mince words during this morning's Hockey East teleconference.

"The season, to this point, has been disappointing," said Whitehead, whose team has won only two games since Christmas. "The first half was surprising but the second half has been disappointing. We're not exactly going into the playoffs with a bang but in the past, we've had some success in bouncing back."

The Black Bears have a tall task ahead of them when they open the Hockey East quarterfinals on Friday - they'll face Boston University, the No. 1 team in the country. Since a 4-2 loss Jan. 13 to Providence, the Terriers are undefeated in 16 games (13-0-3).

"Our mindset is that we have to clear the slate," Whitehead said. "It might be a short one (the playoffs) if we can't clear the slate quickly."

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Boston College is in an unusual place this time of the year. The defending national champions open the Hockey East playoffs on the road as the conference's sixth seed, and will face No. 3 New Hampshire.

"We feel like we're playing solid hockey and that we have a chance to go to the Garden," BC Coach Jerry York said Tuesday in a Hockey East teleconference.

The Eagles are 7-9-4 since Dec. 5, but won three of their final four regular-season games entering this weekend's quarterfinal series in Durham, N.H.

"We've played some of our best hockey the past three or four weeks," York said.

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Several Hockey East coaches offered their thoughts on what makes teams successful in the postseason, especially being a low seed.

"Perfect discipline, and play great team defense," said Massachusetts Coach Don Cahoon, whose team is the seventh seed and faces No. 2 Northeastern.

"To make it work, a team needs great goaltending and needs to be good on special teams," BU Coach Jack Parker said. "You can't let things get away from you if you give up three power-play goals or you go 0-for-4 on the power play."

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