ESTERO, Fla. – Penalty-killing had been a strength for the University of Maine’s hockey team.

But it certainly hasn’t been lately.

Cornell University’s Big Red became the second ECAC team in three games to score three power play goals against the Bears and they limited Maine’s anemic power play to one goal in 10 attempts en route to a 4-3 triumph in the Everblades College Classic’s consolation game Wednesday.

It is the second consecutive year that the Bears finished fourth in the tournament.

Cornell’s three power play goals came on just four opportunities. Harvard went 3-for-7 with the man advantage in a 4-1 win over Maine Dec. 11.

“We played pretty well but they were able to get those three power play goals,” said Maine senior center Ben Murphy. “We made a few mistakes on the penalty kill and the puck wound up in the back of our net. That’s going to happen from time to time.”

He also credited Cornell with doing a great job blocking shots.

“They made it real difficult to get the rebounds we wanted. They definitely played a real solid game,” said Murphy. “They’re a great team. They’re big, physical and they can skate. They’ll be one of the teams going for it [NCAA title] at the end.”

Boston College and St. Cloud State met in the championship game later Wednesday.

Cornell is now 8-3-2 overall while the slumping Bears fell to 10-8-3 and are in the midst of a three-game winless streak (0-2-1). Maine is 4-5-2 in non-league play.

Daniel Pegoraro (power play) and Cam Abbott staked the Big Red to a 2-0 lead but Mat Deschamps and Jon Jankus tied it up with goals 2:11 apart.

Jankus’ goal came with just six seconds remaining in the first period.

Power play goals by Matt Moulson and Charlie Cook re-established a two-goal lead for Cornell early in the second period before Michel Leveille converted on a five-on-three at the 6:01 mark of the period to pull the Bears within one.

Maine had seven more power play opportunities, including four in the third period, but couldn’t capitalize.

Keenan Hopson nearly tied it off a Mike Hamilton rebound in the third period but he hit the crossbar.

The Bears have scored only two power play goals in their last 40 opportunities for a dismal five percent success rate.

Maine, which entered the tournament with the nation’s fourth best penalty-killing percentage (88.2 percent success rate), surrendered four power play goals in 10 chances in the tournament.

St. Cloud State’s only goal in the 1-1 tie with Maine on Tuesday was a power play score.

The Bears have given up seven power play goals in the last 17 disadvantages (58.8 percent).

“Sometimes the scoresheet doesn’t tell the story. This time it did. They scored three power play goals and we went 1-for-10 on the power play. That says it all,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead.

Pegoraro opened the scoring by digging out his own rebound and flipping it home from a scramble in front.

Abbott made it 2-0 by re-directing a Sasha Pokulok shot from the point behind Maine goalie Jimmy Howard.

Deschamps’ first goal of the season cut the lead in half as he followed up a Hopson rush and shoveled a loose puck past Cornell goalie David McKee.

Jankus tied it by winning a faceoff to Hamilton, going to the net and jamming home the rebound of Hamilton’s shot.

Moulson gave Cornell the lead for good with a snap shot from inside the right circle off a Topher Scott pass. A Cook shot from the point had deflected to Scott.

Cook made it 4-2 with a screened drive from the point off a Moulson feed.

Hopson set up Leveille’s goal to pick up his second assist of the game.

But the Bears couldn’t get the equalizer.

McKee finished with 23 saves and Howard wound up with 16.

BIG RED 4, BLACK BEARS 3

Maine (10-8-3) 2 1 0 – 3

Cornell (8-3-2) 2 2 0 – 4

First period – 1. CU, Pegoraro 2 (Hynes, Pokulok), 11:48; 2. CU, Ca. Abbott 3 (Pokulok, Sawada), 17:15 (pp); 3. Maine, Deschamps 1 (Hopson, Clark), 17:43; 4. Maine, Jankus 5 (Hamilton, Deschamps), 19:54. Penalties: CU, Sawada, high sticking, :51; CU, O’Byrne, hooking, 3:16; Maine, Ronan, obstruction-interference, 10:04

Second period – 5. CU, Moulson 9 (Scott, Cook), 1:38 (pp); 6. CU, Cook 3 (Moulson, Scott), 4:04 (pp); 7. Maine, Leveille 6 (Hopson), 6:01 (pp). Penalties: Maine, Damon, holding the stick, :55; Maine, Barnes, hooking, 3:00; CU, Ca. Abbott, hooking, 4:57; CU, Carefoot, high sticking, 5:19; CU, Krantz, hitting after the whistle, 7:56; CU, Ca. Abbott, high sticking, 15:07

Third period – No scoring. Penalties: CU, Pokulok, cross checking, 4:06; Maine, Ryan, obstruction-hooking, 6:25; CU, Sawada, obstruction-tripping, 8:12; CU, Cook, obstruction-interference, 12:25; CU, Cook, obstruction-interference, 14:33; CU, Sawada, unsportsmanlike conduct, 17:52; Maine, Hamilton, unsportsmanlike conduct, 17:52

Shots on goal: Maine 15-4-7-26; CU 10-7-3-20

Goaltenders: Maine, Howard (20 shots-16 saves); CU, McKee (26-23)

Power-play Opportunities: Maine 1 of 10; CU 3 of 4