ORONO – Freshman center Ben Guite should ask Maine hockey coach Shawn Walsh if he could schedule some non-league games against Providence College next season in addition to their three regular season meetings.

Guite scored his fourth and fifth goals in three games against the Friars, including a crucial third-period insurance goal, to lead the Black Bears to a 4-1 victory over Providence at Alfond Arena Saturday night.

Senior center Trevor Roenick had the other two goals for the Bears, who played before a crowd of 5,303, a second straight sellout following Walsh’s first game back at Alfond Friday night after a one-year suspension for NCAA violations.

Maine is now 15-9-1 overall, 7-6-1 in Hockey East. The Bears have won five of their last six league games. The Friars fell to 8-14-1, 6-8-1 in Hockey East.

Guite and Roenick gave Maine the lead for good with goals 15 seconds apart early in the first period.

Freshman defenseman Josh MacNevin halved the lead with a 4-on-3 power-play goal late in the second period. It was MacNevin’s fourth goal of the year.

Guite provided the Bears with some needed breathing room when he scored his sixth goal of the season off a wraparound with 9:42 remaining. Roenick added a power-play goal 2:14 later, his ninth of the year.

The Bears have now received six goals and five assists from Guite and fourth-line partners Cory Larose (5 assists) and Jason Vitorino (1 goal) in their three wins over the Friars.

“I told Shawn after the game that he’s got a helluva’ fourth line,” said Friar coach Paul Pooley. “They beat us every time.”

“Guite has really owned them,” said Walsh. “Our fourth line has come on. We don’t have a fourth line any more. They’ve been scoring consistently and dominating territorially.”

Sophomore left wing Steve Kariya agreed, saying, “They’re hitting out there and makings things happen. They’ve been really playing well. We don’t look at them as a fourth line.”

Guite said he thinks his line can play against anybody and be successful.

“We’re having fun. We’re trying to play hard and keep the puck down low [in the offensive zone] since we’re pretty good there,” he said.

Freshman right wing Larose made the play that led to Guite’s third-period goal even though he wasn’t credited with an assist.

Larose took a pass from David Cullen while standing still on the right-wing side of the blue line.

“Ben was flying to my left so I just kind of flipped it ahead, he skated onto it and he did the rest,” said Larose.

“Coach [Walsh] had told us to go wide on their defensemen,” said Guite. “I had slowed down but then that flashed in my mind and I skated as hard as I could. I kept going, going and going, I turned around [the net] and shot it and it went in.”

Friar goalie Dan Dennis said, “He swung around through some feet. His shot went just underneath my right knee and into the short side. It never should have gone in.”

Pooley added, “That was a heart-breaker.”

Moments later, Roenick made it 4-1 with a 10-footer inside the far post after being set up by Reg Cardinal in the low slot.

“Reg made two great moves. He faked one guy out so bad the guy fell over. I was just standing there and I put it in the net. It was all Reggie’s play,” said Roenick.

Guite had opened the scoring after Larose stole the puck behind the net and took a shot that sailed across the crease. The puck landed directly on the stick of Guite, who one-timed it into the vacant short side.

Roenick and Cardinal teamed up on the second one as Cardinal skated left to right behind the net and dropped a pass to Roenick, who came out the other side and caught Dennis locked on the far post.

“I took my eye off the puck too early and got caught going to the other post. It was a mental mistake,” said Dennis, who then turned in a superb exhibition of goaltending to keep his Friars close. He finished with 27 stops.

MacNevin scored with a low screened drive from the left point.

Black Bears 4, Friars 1

Maine 2 0 2 – 4 Providence 0 1 0 – 1

First period – 1. Maine, Guite 5 (Larose), 5:38; 2. Maine, Roenick 8 (Cardinal), 5:53. Penalties – Maine, Larose, interference, 8:12; PC, Pisani, hooking, 10:17; Maine, J. Mansoff, cross checking, 16:11; PC, Guzior, slashing, 16:11; PC, Sinerate, tripping, 19:37.

Second period – 3. PC, MacNevin 4 (Dean, Keefe), 17:32, pp. Penalties – PC, Omicioli, hooking, 4:17; Maine, Shermerhorn, cross checking, 9:30; PC, Green, interference, 9:30; Maine, Wansborough, slashing, 16:01; PC, Dillabough, slashing, 16:01; Maine, Parmentier, boarding, 16:50.

Third period – 4. Maine, Guite 6 (Cullen), 10:18; 5. Maine, Roenick 9 (Cardinal), 12:32, pp. Penalties – Maine, White, holding, 7:13; PC, Dillabough, holding, 7:13; PC, Tuohy, hooking, 11:49; Maine, Guite, holding, 15:31.

Shots on goal: Maine 9-12-10 – 31; PC 8-5-6 – 19

Goaltenders: Maine, Alfie Michaud; PC, Dan Dennis

Power plays: Maine 1-4, PC 1-3

Attendance: 5,303