BILLERICA, Mass. – Mother Nature battered New England with an intense winter snowstorm on Saturday.

The University of Maine hockey team whipped up a third-period scoring blizzard of its own here Saturday night.

The Black Bears snowed under UMass-Lowell with five goals in the final 14 minutes while storming to an 8-1 Hockey East victory at Tully Forum.

The Maine “Department of the Defense,” commanded by senior captain Chris Imes, accounted for four goals as the Bears shut down the struggling River Hawks. Junior goaltender Blair Allison made 27 saves, including 13 in the first period, before Blair Marsh finished up in the last six minutes.

Coach Shawn Walsh’s Bears, now 24-2-6 overall and 12-1-6 in the league, turned in a complete performance.

Bruce Crowder’s UMass-Lowell squad fell to 12-14-4 and 7-9-1, respectively.

Walsh was all smiles.

“The key for us was our play away from the puck,” he said. “They’re an excellent offensive team. When you shut them down in their own rink with only nine shots against in two periods, you’re doing something right, (especially) with all the power plays they had.”

Leading 3-1, Maine got a clutch power-play goal from Waterville’s Barry Clukey at 5:38 of the third period.

Reg Cardinal made it happen, grabbing a rebound in front and slipping a quick pass to his left, where Clukey snapped it high over sprawled goalie Craig Lindsay.

“I was open at the post and I yelled,” Clukey said. Reg mato get it over to me. I had a wide-open net.”

It was the second of four power-play tallies by the Bears, who also got a shorthanded goal by Imes, a power-play goal by Jeff Tory, and insurance goals from Scott Parmentier and Jeff Libby to put it away.

The River Hawks’ frustration late in the game only intensified their already “chippy” playing style, which included several cheap shots against Maine players.

Maine made some adjustments after the first period and clamped down on UML in the neutral zone, severely limiting their chances.

“Lowell’s got a great offensive club, but the forwards did a great job with our neutral-zone defense and the D-men played their normal great game,” Allison said. “It was real easy for Blair (Marsh) and I back there.”

Maine’s defense corps set the offensive tone as blue-liners figured in the Bears’ three first-period goals.

Imes intercepted a pass to send Jacque Rodrigue in alone on Lindsay. Rodrigue fired a low shot into the right side of the net 1:47 into the game.

Maine made it 2-0 during a 4-on-3 situation. Rodrigue faked a shot from the right point and zipped a diagonal pass to Clukey, who on-timed a shot from below the left circle into the short side at the 13:55 mark. below the left circle into the short side at the 13:55 mark.

Brian White notched his first college point at 16:54 when he slapped a perfect Dan Shermerhorn pass past Lindsay from the right wing.

“They’re pretty offensive, so they’re gonna give up a lot of chances and your D-men can jump in on offense,” Imes said.

Allison picked up where he had left off Friday night in Providence, making 13 saves. His best of the period was a pad save on a screened Brendan Concannon bid from the slot with 4:51 to play.

“I think the biggest key was Ally (Allison) in the first period,” Clukey said. “He stoned them and gave us a chance to get things rolling.”

Allison, who had come up big in the first period of Friday’s victory at Providence, seems to have a knack for making important saves when games are close.

“I think Blair really showed his value this weekend,” Walsh said. “He’s been the most consistent goaltender in the country.”

The second period was played mostly in the neutral zone. The teams combined for only seven shots on goal, but the hosts cut the deficit to 3-1 on Christian Sbrocca’a power-play goal at 12:10.

That was all UML would muster against Allison and the Maine defense, which held the Hawks to nine shots on goal in the last 40 minutes.

Black Bears 8, River Hawks 1

Maine 3-0-5 – 8 UMass-Lowell 0-1-0 – 1

First Period – 1. Maine, Rodrigue 10 (Imes), 1:47; 2. Maine, Clukey 8 (Rodrigue, Tory), 13:55 (PP, 4-on-3); 3. Maine, White 1 (Shermerhorn), 16:54; Penalties: Maine, Cardinal, slashing, :50; UML, Bullock, slashing, :50; Maine, MacIsaac, interference, 2:07; UML, Sbrocca, slashing, 2:26; UML, Brown, interference, 5:19; Maine, Lovell, roughing, 11:56; UML, Henderson, roughing, 11:56; UML, Mahoney, holding, 12:57; Maine, Lovell, holding, 17:15

Second Period – 4. UML, Sbrocca 12 (Bullock, Daw), 12:10 (PP); Penalties: UML, Riga, holding, 3:56; Maine, Rodrigue, interference, 5:09; Maine, Roenick, elbowing, 10:20; Maine, Rodrigue, interference, 12:38; UML, Henderson, tripping, 14:46; UML, Henderson, boarding, 17:54

Third Period – 5. Maine, Clukey 9 (Cardinal, Roenick), 5:38 (PP); 6. Maine, Imes 4 (una), 12:53 (SH); 7. Maine, Tory 8 (Imes, Lovell), 14:15 (PP); 8. Maine, Parmentier 10 (Purdie, Shermerhorn), 15:37; 9. Maine, Libby 2 (Clukey, Tory), 19:23 (PP, 4-on-3); Penalties: Maine, Cardinal, interference, 1:33; UML, Brown, holding, 4:04; UML, Salsman, high-sticking, 8:36; Maine, Lovell, interference, 9:27; Maine, Parmentier, holding, 11:07; UML, Botto, hitting from behind, 14:08; UML, Bullock, cross-checking, 17:47; Maine, White, holding stick, 18:28; Maine, MacIsaac, roughing, 19:06; UML, Dartsch, roughing, 19:06; UML, Lowell, cross-checking, 19:06

Shots on goal: Maine 7-4-14-25; UMass-Lowell 13-3-6-22

Goaltenders: Maine, Blair Allison, Blair Marsh; UML, Craig Lindsay