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Toot Cahoon

AMHERST - The University of Massachusetts hockey team practiced at Amherst College's Orr Rink this week to give the players a better feel for the smaller ice surface they'll be playing on this weekend.

The Minutemen play two critical games against Maine at Alfond Arena, Friday and Saturday. Both games are at 7 p.m.

"I think we'll be real comfortable with the dimensions," said UMass coach Toot Cahoon, whose team practiced at Orr Wednesday and Thursday and was schedule to skate on Alfond this morning. "I don't know that we wouldn't have been anyway, but this is something we won't have to think about."

While the size of the ice will be familiar, the weekend's games still present plenty of challenges. The Minutemen (10-13-5, 6-11-4 Hockey East) broke their road losing streak last weekend, but still face a tough atmosphere.

"Winning on the road is hard and will continue to be difficult. You have to play a certain type of game. We've now played that type of game. That's not our issue. Our issue is finding a way to win games now," Cahoon said. Alfond Arena "is a special hockey environment. We have to have a narrow focus and keep it between the glass. ...You have to have that slow heart rate and the ability to stay locked in on what your doing. We've won games up there. We've won significant games up there. It's because of mentality and our ability to compete and execute."

The Black Bears (17-9-3, 12-8-2 Hockey East) have won seven of their last eight games. They beat UMass in a nonconference game at the Florida College Classic on Dec. 30. The teams tied 2-2 on Nov. 18 in Amherst.

Maine boasts Hockey East's top two scorers in seniors Spencer Abbott (16 goals, 33 assists) and Brian Flynn (14 goals, 26 assists). Joey Diamond is fourth with 18 goals and 13 assists. That trio is a big reason Maine leads Hockey East with 3.48 goals per game.

Sophomore Dan Sullivan has done most of the goaltending. He's 16-6-3 with 2.70 goals against average and 90.5 save percentage.

Both the Minutemen and Black Bears have considerable interest in other games around the league. UMass and Northeastern (7-12-2 Hockey East) are currently tied for eighth, the last conference playoff spot, with 18 points. The Huskies host Providence (10-10-1, 21 points) for two games Friday and Saturday.

The Minutemen are four points behind New Hampshire (9-11-2, 20 points), which hosts last-place Vermont (2-18-1, five points) for two games this week.

Maine is tied for fourth with Merrimack (11-6-4) with 26 points apiece and both are a point behind Boston College and Boston University, which are tied for second at 13-7-1 (27 points). BC and Merrimack play a home-and-home series, as do BU and first place UMass-Lowell (14-7-0, 28 points).

SYNER HONORED - UMass senior forward T.J. Syner is one of 21 finalists for the Walter Brown Award, which is annually given to the best college hockey player at a New England school who was born in the United States. Syner leads the Minutemwn with 11 goals and 20 assists.

TEGLIA HURT - Sophomore goalie Jeff Teglia is out with an undisclosed injury and did not make the trip to Maine.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com.