PROVIDENCE COLLEGE (13-10, 8-6) HOCKEY NOTES:

FRIARS SPLIT WITH SIXTH-RANKED BOSTON COLLEGE... The Friars posted a 1-1 mark last week in two games against Boston College. The Friars posted their first shutout of the season with a 3-0 win against BC on Jan. 22 at Chestnut Hill, Mass. The win gave the Friars their first victory at Boston College since Feb. 9, 1996. Freshman Drew Omicioli (W. Warwick, R.I.) tallied the game winner for the Friars at 4:11 of the third period. Senior Troy Lake (Edmonton, Alberta) and junior Doug Sheppard (Georgetown, Ontario) also scored for PC. Sophomore Boyd Ballard (Weyburn, Saskatchewan) made a season-high 36 saves while earning his first shutout of the season and becoming the first goalie to hold the Eagles scoreless in 1998-99. On Jan. 23, BC defeated the Friars 5-2 in front of a sellout crowd of 3,030 spectators at Schneider Arena. Junior Fernando Pisani (Edmonton, Alberta) and junior Josh MacNevin (W. Lethbridge, Alberta) each scored for PC. Senior goaltender Mark Kane (St. Albert, Alberta) made 28 stops in the loss.

BALLARD POSTS SHUTOUT AGAINST BOSTON COLLEGE... Sophomore goaltender Boyd Ballard (Weyburn, Saskatchewan) posted a 1-0 mark last week. Ballard recorded a season-high 36 saves while earning his first shutout of the season and becoming the first goalie to hold the Eagles scoreless in 1998-99 in PC's 3-0 shutout at sixth-ranked Boston College on Jan. 22. Ballard made a number of key saves in the game, including one on Mike Mottau's short-handed shot in the second period which was featured as CNN's "Play of the Day." The shutout at BC was the second of Ballard's collegiate career. Last season, Ballard earned HOCKEY EAST All-Rookie Team honors. In 15 games this season, Ballard has posted a 9-5 mark, a 3.31 goals against average and an .889 save percentage.

DREW OMICIOLI NETS GAME WINNER... Freshman Drew Omicioli (W. Warwick, R.I.) netted the game-winning goal and added one assist in PC's 3-0 win against sixth-ranked BC on Jan. 22. His goal at 4:11 of the third period broke a 0-0 tie. Omicioli is tied for the team lead in game-winning goals with three. He recorded the game-winning goal at the 10:30 mark of the third period in PC's 3-2 victory against Brown on Jan. 12. The goal gave PC its eighth Mayor's Cup victory in 13 games, but it's first win since the 1994-95 season. Omicioli leads all Friar freshman in scoring with 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 20 games. On Oct. 24, he tallied two goals, including the game winner, in the Friars' 7-2 win against Lake Superior. For his two-goal effort, Omicioli was named HOCKEY EAST Rookie of the Week on Oct. 26.

FRIARS TO PLAY 3rd and 4th STRAIGHT AGAINST RANKED TEAMS... On Jan. 22-23, PC played two games against the sixth-ranked Boston College Eagles. This week, the Friars will play their third and fourth consecutive games against ranked teams as PC hosts the second-ranked Maine Black Bears on Jan. 29 at Schneider Arena and the Friars will play at third-ranked New Hampshire on Jan. 30. On Jan. 22-23, PC split a home-and-home series against the sixth-ranked BC Eagles to move the Friars' record to 2-4 against ranked teams this season. PC's other win against a ranked team was a 6-1 victory against then seventh-ranked UNH on Nov. 6. PC's three losses were against UNH (3-1) on Nov. 7 and then sixth-ranked Maine (6-1 and 3-2) on Nov. 20-21.

THE PROVIDENCE-MAINE SERIES... Friday's game is the 66th meeting between the two schools. Maine leads the all-time series 38-26-1. The two teams first met on Jan. 5, 1980 with Providence defeating Maine, 4-3, at Alfond Arena. PC's last win against the Black Bears was a 7-2 victory on Dec. 6, 1997 at Schneider Arena. The Friars' last loss to Maine was a 3-2 defeat on Nov. 21 at Alfond Arena.

AT SCHNEIDER ARENA... PC has posted a 14-12-0 mark against the Black Bears at Schneider Arena. In the Friars' last game against Maine at Schneider Arena, PC defeated the Black Bears, 7-2, on Dec. 6, 1997. The Friars' last loss to Maine at Schneider Arena was a 5-4 defeat on Jan. 3, 1997.

THIS SEASON VS. MAINE... The Friars have registered a 0-2 record against Maine this season. On Nov. 20, Maine defeated PC, 6-1, at Alfond Arena. Jerry Keefe tallied PC's only goal. Boyd Ballard and Mark Kane combined to make 17 stops in net. The following night, Maine earned a 3-2 victory against the Friars at Alfond Arena. Mike Omicioli and Rich Miller tallied the Friars' goals. Kane recorded 26 saves in the loss.

THE PROVIDENCE-UNH SERIES... Saturday's game is the 99th meeting between the two schools. Providence holds a 42-46-10 mark in the all-time series. The two teams first met on February 12, 1927 with New Hampshire defeating Providence, 5-1, at the Rhode Island Auditorium. The loss to the Wildcats was one of seven defeats the Friars suffered in their first season of collegiate competition (1-7-0). PC's last win against New Hampshire was a 6-1 victory at Schneider Arena on Nov. 6, 1998. The Friars' last loss to the Wildcats was a 3-1 defeat at the Whittemore Center on Nov. 7, 1998.

AT WHITTEMORE CENTER... PC holds a 1-4 record against the Wildcats at Whittemore Center. PC's only win at the Whittemore center was a 5-4 victory on Jan. 27, 1996. The Friars' last loss at the Whittemore Center was a 3-1 defeat on Nov. 7, 1998.

THIS SEASON VS. UNH... PC has recorded a 1-1 mark versus the Wildcats this season. On Nov. 6, PC defeated UNH, 6-1, at Schneider Arena. The win ended the Friars' four-game losing streak against the Wildcats and gave the team its first victory against UNH since a 3-2 win at Schneider Arena on Feb. 15, 1997. Mike Omicioli tallied two goals to lead the offense. Troy Lake, Doug Sheppard, Jerry Keefe and Marc Suderman also scored for the Friars. Boyd Ballard made 30 stops in goal. The following night, the Wildcats defeated the Friars, 3-1, at the Whittemore Center. Jason Ialongo netted the lone goal for the Friars. Ballard recorded 33 saves for the Friars.