Friday, February 26, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. at PC's Schneider Arena

UMASS-AMHERST (10-18-2) - Friday's game will be the 21st all-time meeting between the Friars and the Minutemen. UMass has recorded a 2-9 mark at Schneider Arena. The Minutemen's last victory at Schneider Arena was a 5-3 win on Dec. 6, 1996 ... The Minutemen are in seventh place in HOCKEY EAST standings with a 6-13-2 record ... UMass has won four of its last five games, including two victories last weekend against Army (2-0) and UMass-Lowell (3-2) ... Junior forward Jeff Blanchard (Stouffville, Ontario) leads the Minutemen in scoring with 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 30 games this season. Sophomore Markus Helanen (Vantaa, Finland) has posted a 0-1 mark against PC this season. Overall, he has recorded an 8-15-2 mark, a 3.42 goals against average and an .891 save percentage.

PROVIDENCE COLLEGE (17-13-1) - On Tuesday, PC tied sixth-ranked Boston College (5-5) and clinched fourth place in the league standings and the final spot for home ice in the HOCKEY EAST Quarterfinals ... Friday the Friars five seniors, Jon Coe (Anoka, Minn.), Jon Cameron (Langley, British Columbia), Mark Kane (St. Albert, Alberta), Troy Lake (Edmonton, Alberta) and Mike Omicioli (W. Warwick, R.I.), will play their final regular-season home game at Schneider Arena ... PC holds a 15-4-1 mark all-time against the Minutemen. The last time the two teams played at Schneider Arena, the Friars defeated the Minutemen, 8-1, on Jan. 15, 1999 ... Senior Mike Omicioli (W. Warwick) ranks 21st all-time in scoring at PC with 132 points (46 goals, 86 assists) in 128 games. Senior goaltender Mark Kane (St. Albert, Alberta) has posted a 5-5 mark, an .898 save percentage and a 2.93 goals against average this season.