PORTLAND – Sophomore center Michel Leveille can’t remember his last hat trick.

“Maybe three or four years ago,” said Leveille moments after scoring a pair of second-period goals and a crucial third-period goal Sunday afternoon. He led the University of Maine men’s hockey team to a penalty-filled 8-4 triumph over the Providence College Friars in front of 6,545 fans at the Cumberland County Civic Center.

The Black Bears improved to 9-6 overall, 5-3 in Hockey East, and extended their season-high winning streak to three games. Maine has won four of its last five. Providence fell to 4-6-1 and 2-5-1, respectively.

“I’m just doing the best I can to help the team. The goals are coming and that’s good. I’m glad,” said Leveille, who was playing in his second game after missing six with a separated shoulder.

The 2003-2004 Hockey East Rookie of the Year had an assist in Friday’s 6-2 win over UMass before erupting for his hat trick Sunday. He now has five goals and three assists in nine games after collecting six goals and 34 assists in 43 games last season.

“He was fired up,” said Providence coach Paul Pooley. “He’s a very talented player.”

“I’m real excited for him. It’s great to have him back,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead.

Maine’s Mike Hamilton and Providence’s James Pemberton (power play) swapped first-period goals before Maine freshman defenseman Tim Maxwell triggered a string of four unanswered second-period goals 2:19 into the period.

Josh Soares made it 3-1 at the 6:44 mark before Leveille’s first two goals capped the flurry.

Trevor Ludwig’s power-play goal 36 seconds into the third period on a screened drive from the point and Chris Chaput’s breakaway goal between Jimmy Howard’s pads 3:30 later pulled the Friars back into the game, but Leveille answered 33 seconds later to re-establish some breathing room. The Friars could get no closer the rest of the way.

“That was a big, big goal. Providence wasn’t going to quit. I have a lot of respect for how they play,” said Whitehead.

“That was a big momentum helper,” said Soares. “That deflated them and got us going again.”

Brent Shepheard’s precise pass to Leveille at the far post created an easy finish into a half-empty net for Leveille.

Leveille had set the play in motion with a pass to Shepheard that deflected into the corner.

“Their defenseman had his back turned to me and I went after him. There was kind of a lucky bounce. The puck hit his shaft and it squirted through. I grabbed it and Michel was wide open in front,” said Shepheard.

“There was nobody around me at all. He made a nice pass to my tape and it was in. I never even looked at it,” said Leveille, who admitted that just before the shift, Shepheard told him “Levs, we got to go out and get you your third.”

Sophomore right wing Keith Johnson’s first goal since Jan. 10 expanded the lead with 9:51 left as he snapped a wrister over freshman goalie Tyler Sims’ glove from the middle of the slot.

Chase Watson redirected a Bill McCreary feed to pull PC within 7-4 1:33 later, but Wes Clark capped the scoring off a John Ronan rebound with 2:51 left.

“We gave up too many easy ones in the third period,” said Pooley, who felt Maine’s second goal was a turning point for them.

“If we had gotten the puck out, we would have had a three-on-one. Instead, we make a bad turnover and it’s in our net,” said Pooley.

“I picked off their pass at the blue line and kept going across [the slot],” said Maxwell. “I faked a shot, their defenseman got out of the way, and the short side opened up.”

Maine has now scored 19 goals in its last three games.

Soares and Hamilton had a goal and two assists apiece and Ronan had three assists.

Freshman defenseman Ludwig had a goal and two assists for Providence.

Maine outshot the Friars 39-34, including a 20-9 advantage in the decisive second period.

Howard finished with 28 saves before Providence’s Nate Meyers ended his afternoon by crashing into him with 4:33 left, warranting a five-minute charging major. Howard was slightly shaken up but said he was fine after the game. Matt Lundin replaced Howard and made two saves.

Sims, son of former Boston Bruin defenseman Al Sims, finished with 31 stops.

BLACK BEARS 8, FRIARS 4

Providence 1 0 3 – 4

Maine 1 4 3 – 8

First period – 1. Maine, Hamilton 1 (Ronan, Soares), 7:54; 2. PC, Pemberton 1 (McCreary), 19:56 (pp). Penalties: PC, Ludwig, tripping, 5:36; PC, Carpentier, holding, 12:38; Maine, Shepheard, obstruction-interference, 16:51; Maine, Tyler, tripping, 18:24; PC, Watson, hooking, 19:05; Maine, Shepheard, diving, 19:05

Second period – 3. Maine, Maxwell 2 (unassisted), 2:19; 4. Maine, Soares 4 (Hamilton), 6:44 (pp); 5. Maine, Leveille 3 (Ryan), 8:51; 6. Maine, Leveille 4 (Hamilton, Barnes), 16:50 (pp). Penalties: PC, McCreary, tripping, 2:33; PC, Carpentier, roughing, 6:18; Maine, Tyler, hitting after whistle, 6:18; PC, McCreary, hitting after whistle, 6:18; PC, Maine, Hamilton, boarding, 7:16; PC, Gajda, holding, 8:10; Maine, Ryan, hitting after whistle, 10-min. misconduct, 8:51; PC, Zancanaro, hitting after whistle, 10-min. misconduct, 8:51; PC, Mason, hitting after whistle, 10:51; Maine, Leveille, slashing, 10:51; Maine, Mushaluk, hitting after whistle, 12:55; PC, Watson, slashing, 12:55; PC, Ludwig, elbowing, 14:09; PC, Lundberg, interference and 10-min. misconduct, 15:07; Maine, Maxwell, tripping, 19:07

Third period – 7. PC, Ludwig 1 (Chaput, Watson), :36 (pp); 8. PC, Chaput 4 (Carroll, Ludwig), 4:06; 9. Maine, Leveille 5 (Shepheard, Tyler), 4:39; 10. Maine, Johnson 1 (Tyler, Mi. Lundin), 10:09; 11. PC, Watson 3 (McCreary), 11:42; 12. Maine, Clark 2 (Ronan), 17:09. Penalties: Maine, Leveille, slashing, 7:14; Maine, Maxwell, hitting after whistle, 11:42; PC, Carpentier, hitting after whistle, 11:42; PC, Meyers, five-min. major for charging, 15:27; Maine, Tyler, holding, 15:27; Maine, Shepheard, slashing, 18:38; PC, Irwin, slashing, 18:38

Shots on goal: Maine 6-20-13-39; PC 16-9-9-34

Goaltenders: Maine, Howard (32 shots-28 saves), Ma. Lundin (15:27 of 3rd, 2-2); PC, Tyler (39-31)

Power-play opportunities: Maine 2 of 8, Providence 2 of 5

High-percentage scoring chances: Maine 9-20-12-41; PC 12-6-6-24

Attendance: 6,545