COLLEGE HOCKEY : Top Teams in Forum Tournament

For the first time in the four-year history of the Great Western Freeze Out, the NCAA’s No. 1- and No. 3-ranked hockey teams, Maine and Lake Superior State are in the field.

Two other U.S. teams, Western Michigan and Princeton complete today’s bracket at the Forum.

Previously, the tournament included two teams from Canada and two from the United States. But since the top college-age Canadian players compete at the Tier II level or in the NHL, the Canadian teams were not as competitive and did not draw well.

In the first game today at 4, defending NCAA titlist Lake Superior State, of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., plays Princeton. At 7:30, Maine, the defending Freeze Out champion, takes on Western Michigan.

The championship game on Sunday will start at 4:30 p.m., after the consolation game at 1.

Maine (15-0-1 and 9-0-1 in Hockey East) is minus four of its top six scorers, among them Paul Kariya, a freshman who leads the nation in scoring with 13 goals and 36 assists, and twins Peter and Chris Ferraro. That trio is preparing for the World Junior tournament in Gavre, Sweden.

Cal Ingraham, the top goal-scorer in the nation with 21, and Jim Montgomery, the Black Bears’ career scoring leader, are expected to pick up the slack.

Mike Dunham, the backup to Ray LeBlanc on the 1992 U.S. Olympic team, will start in goal for Maine. He has a 9-0 record and a 2.57 goals-against average.

Maine Coach Shawn Walsh expects Western Michigan (9-5-1, 8-4-1 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Assn.) to play a style similar to the Black Bears.

“Both teams can really skate,” he said.

In goal, the Broncos will start Craig Brown, the Kings’ ninth-round pick in 1991.

Lake Superior State (11-2-3, 8-2-3 in the CCHA) has nine NHL draft picks, including Dean Hulett, the Kings’ eighth-round selection in 1990.

The Lakers will be minus top scorer, Brian Rolston, a 1991 first-round pick of New Jersey, however, because of the tournament in Sweden.

Princeton (5-5, 3-5 in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference) is led by Terry Morris, who has six goals and seven assists. Craig Fiander (2-2, 5.05) is expected to start in goal for the Tigers.