Center stage - Denver ventures to New England to open its season for the second year in a row, visiting Boston College (Friday, 7:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network) and Boston University (Sat., 7 p.m.) on consecutive days. The matchup of the third-ranked Pioneers and No. 1 BC on Friday is particularly intriguing, as the Eagles ascended to the top spot in the polls after beating then-No. 3 North Dakota last week in the Ice Breaker Tournament. Last season BC traveled to Denver and swept the Pioneers by a combined score of 9-2. These teams are loaded with pro prospects: Denver has five players ranked among their NHL teams' top 10 prospects by The Hockey News, while Boston College has three.

Also on TV - Friday: Boston University at Providence (7 p.m., NESN), Nate Leaman's Friar debut; Minnesota at Minnesota Duluth (7 p.m. CT, Fox Sports North), rivals begin conference play; Maine at North Dakota (7:30 p.m. CT, Fox College Sports), Fighting Sioux look to bounce back against another Hockey East foe. Saturday: Minnesota at Minnesota Duluth (7 p.m. CT, Fox Sports North); Maine at North Dakota (7 p.m. CT, Fox College Sports).

Central visitors - Two compelling series at ECAC Hockey schools have CCHA teams visiting upstate New York campuses. Colgate, perhaps riding the momentum of their summer trip to Italy, won the Maverick Stampede and returns home to host No. 5 Miami. The Raiders could really make a statement with a win. In Schenectady, two of last season's emerging powers meet up with Western Michigan traveling to Union. Both have new coaches, as Andy Murray took over the Bronco program and Rick Bennett was promoted to the top job with the Dutchmen.

Future watch - There won't be any NHL draft picks on the ice when St. Lawrence visits RIT Saturday, but you can bet some NHL scouts will be among the sold-out crowd of 10,000 at Blue Cross Arena. RIT has become fertile ground for undrafted free agents, sending Tyler Brenner, Chris Tanev and Steve Pinizzotto to NHL contracts recently. Tanev earned a regular spot on the Vancouver Canucks' blue line just a year out of school. St. Lawrence, meanwhile, has an undrafted alum making a name for himself in the NHL: Rich Peverley's acquisition helped propel the Boston Bruins to the Stanley Cup and he recently signed a three-year contract extension.

In the show - Saturday's Boston-Chicago game (NHL Network) is a matchup of the last two Stanley Cup winners and - of note to college hockey fans - the last two Conn Smythe Trophy winners (Tim Thomas and Jonathan Toews). Thomas could face two fellow UVM alums, as Patrick Sharp is pursuing his sixth consecutive 20-goal season for the Blackhawks and Viktor Stalberg recently returned to practice after missing the start of the season due to injury.