ORONO – The University of Maine’s improved penalty-killing paid huge dividends in a 4-0 men’s hockey victory over the tenacious Western Michigan University Broncos Saturday night.

Holding a tenuous 1-0 lead and being outplayed by Western Michigan, the Bears killed off a two-man disadvantage that lasted 1:20 early in the second period.

“That was the turning point in the game,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead.

“They played it as well as you can,” said WMU junior right wing and captain Dana Lattery, the Broncos’ leading scorer. “I think we got only one shot on goal during it.”

“We tried to make sure they couldn’t make any cross-ice passes [in the low slot] by keeping our sticks in the passing lanes,” said Maine senior defenseman Cliff Loya. “We wanted to force them to shoot from outside and tried to prevent any second shots.”

Senior left wing Lucas Lawson had a pair of goals and an assist, including a goal just 12 seconds into the game.

Junior left wing Todd Jackson and senior left wing and captain Chris Heisten had power-play goals while senior center Marty Kariya and freshman right wing Greg Moore of Lisbon assisted on linemate Lawson’s goals.

Freshman Jimmy Howard finished with 16 saves for his first college shutout.

“It feels great. I owe it to our defensemen and forwards. The forwards were coming back. Western Michigan didn’t have many odd-man rushes,” said Howard, who also caught a break when Brent Walton’s first-period shorthanded breakaway hit the post to his left.

“I tried to go high to the glove side, but I didn’t get much on it,” said Walton.

Lawson opened the scoring when a Moore hit freed the puck to Kariya, who slid it to Lawson.

“I think I caught the goalie [Mike Mantua] off guard. It went short side,” said Lawson of his 17-foot wrister from the left circle.

“I didn’t see it until it hit the back of the net,” said Mantua.

Maine didn’t score again until Jackson tallied with 1:04 left in the second period when a Colin Shields shot from the left point deflected to him across the slot.

“The goalie had come way out and I had the whole net,” said Jackson.

Heisten scored 3:20 into the third when Lawson’s feed in front glanced over to Heisten at the near post.

“I think that’s the easiest goal I’ve ever scored in college,” said Heisten.

Lawson capped the scoring with a rising 15-foot wrister off a perfect cross-ice pass from Moore.

Mantua finished with 24 saves.

BLACK BEARS 4, BRONCOS 0

(Saturday’s Game)

Western Michigan (2-3) 0 0 0 ? 0

Maine (3-1) 1 1 2 ? 4

First period ? 1. Maine, Lawson 1 (Kariya, Moore), :12. Penalties: Maine, Liscak, obstruction-hooking, :30; WMU, Yantzi, slashing, 2:33; Maine, Ryan, cross checking, 5:18; WMU, Cheyne, hooking, 5:24; Jackson, obstruction-hooking, 12:10; Maine, Loya, boarding, 18:37.

Second period ? 2. Maine, Jackson 1 (Shields, Liscak), 18:56 (pp). Penalties: WMU, Cook, tripping, 3;28; Maine, Murphy, slashing, 5:54; Maine, Ryan, charging, 6:34; WMU, Cheyne, slashing, 16:33; WMU, Davies, hitting from behind, 18:34; Maine, Loya, slashing, 19:58.

Third period ? 3. Maine, Heisten 2 (Lawson, Nault), 3:20 (pp); 4. Maine, Lawson 2 (Moore, Kariya), 8:09. Penalties: WMU, Townsend, cross-checking, 2:39; WMU, Davies, hitting the goaltender and roughing, 8:33; WMU, Gagnon, double minor for roughing, 10-minute misconduct, 8:33; Liscak, double minor for roughing and 10-minute misconduct, 8:33; Maine, Jackson, roughing, 8:33; Maine, Ryan, roughing, 8:33; WMU, Rumble, slashing, 12:21; WMU, Bellissimo, slashing, 16:49; Maine, Barnes, slashing, 19:09.

Shots on goal: WMU 6-5-5?16; Maine 8-13-7?28

Goaltenders: WMU, Mantua (28 shots-24 saves); Maine, Howard (16-16)

Power-play opportunities: WMU 0 for 8; Maine 2 for 8

High-percentage scoring chances: WMU 2-8-3?13; Maine 4-8-7? 19

Attendance: 5,267